Broken
by TheIceAngel
Summary: Yoh is sick, and Anna doen's know what to do because they are alone, so she decides to go to the pharmacy to buy him something, but in her way back home, she meets four men that will cause her inmense pain. R
1. Prologue

Well, this is actually a translation from a fic that I'm writing in Spanish. The fic has good critics, so I decided to translate it. Also I'm taking the FCE Cambridge evaluation soon, and you may help me to get my writing better (basically that's the objective of this, but… nahhh. I'm doing it for fun!. But a couple of suggestions won't hurt. So, please, be sincere and have a critic eye… but try to be nice, people! This is my first English fic!)

Warning: This is not a fic for under aged people. There will be rape, violence and sex. If you can't manage this kind of writing, I suggest you to leave the fic or jump the scenes.

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**Prologue**

Anna glanced at her fiancé from a prudent distance. Many hours have passed already since Yoh fainted, and the fever didn't go down. Neither did the trembling. He was sweating over the futon, moaning, sometimes opening his eyes, but never waking up. Anna sighed, and looked toward the window.

It had happened at noon, more or less.

**_Flashback_**

_**"Anna!... I swear… I can't…!" **screamed Yoh. After running 60 miles already, Anna had forced him to do push-ups and sit-ups, without a motive or even a warning._

_**"Stop being lazy and finish already!" **She met his eyes** "You have just done 254"**_

_**"But Anna…!"**_

**_"If you keep whining, I will add much more" _**

_Then minutes later, Yoh had fallen over the floor, exhausted. Anna approached to him, concerned, noting that he had fainted and was not going to wake anytime soon. _

_She tried to awake him, but nothing worked. After ten more minutes of futile attempts of doing so, she gave up and carried him to inn's insides. Leaving him in the living room, she went upstairs to collect a futon and his favorite sheets. Then, she went downstairs, to the living room again, to try to put him over the futon._

_Then she waited. _

_At least two hours have passed when she touched his forehead, and couldn't repress a sharp intake of breath. God, he was burning. She went to the kitchen, to fill a small recipient with cool water while looking for a small towel in the bathroom._

_Once again in the living, she wet the towel and put it over his burning forehead, trying to cool it down a bit. _

_And then, she waited again._

_**End of Flashback**_

And that's all she had done for the last eight hours. She had waited, patiently, but Yoh haven't woken up yet. He had been unconscious for ten hours already. It didn't matter how much time she waited, or how many times she wet the towel to put it again over his forehead. He simply wouldn't wake up!

Anna didn't know what to do. It is normal to get a cold or have an unexplainable fever from time to time. But this wasn't normal. He was sick. Hell sick. And she had been so blind to not see it in his mood. He had been sick all day, but had not spoken a word to explain his condition.

Her lips trembled.

"_This is my fault"_

It was, in a way. Who would be so cruel to force him to train like that? Who would be so blind to not notice his illness? Who would be so cold to simply threaten his health like she did?

"_I shouldn't have trained him that hard… I should have noted that he was sick"_

She could keep having guilty thoughts, or could do a useful thing. Biting the insides of her cheek in deep concentration, she thought about the possible cause of his sudden illness. Fever is a normal reaction towards a bacterial invasion. It's a simple defense of the body. It heats up the bacteria to kill them.

So giving him antibiotics was the most viable decision.

But she couldn't leave him in there, with nobody to take care of him. Manta was with his father on a business trip; Horo-Horo and Tamao were on Hokkaido, because the blue haired boy wanted to show his birthplace to his possible-new-girlfriend; Ren and Pilika were on China, since they were already lovers and Pilika wanted to know more about his mysterious boyfriend; Jun and Ryu… well, they were in some point of the roads (she didn't know what the hell he did to convince Jun to accompany him); Lyserg was in England, Faust was in a doctor council God knows where… and Chocolove… well, she didn't trust him, anyways.

There was nobody of trust nearby. Faust would have been of great help, though… why did it suddenly seem like everything was against her?

She shook her head.

"_I can try to get him some medicine… there is a pharmacy just a few streets from here…"_

She looked towards the window once more. It was so dark… Anna had never gone out in the depths of the night. She may be young, but wasn't fool enough to go to the city, were the crime statistics had increased so much in the past four years.

And she really, REALLY, didn't want to go there. She didn't want to go, risking her life and leaving Yoh in that delicate state of his.

She bit her lower lip, hesitant to go, but a moan from Yoh's lip made her decide. She wet the towel to put it over his forehead once more. Then, went to get her purse and quickly left, without noticing that she had left her rosary in the living room…

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It was already 11 o'clock when Anna had finally managed to get to the pharmacy, which was empty due to the time. A man attended her, and heard her carefully as she explained her fiancé's symptoms with all the precision that she was capable of. She didn't take more than ten minutes in leaving the building.

She decided to go back through the avenues, just from where she had come. They were well illuminated and there were enough people out to make her feel a little more secure there.

The mere thought of Yoh burning over that futon invaded her mind, and she increased her walking speed. She saw an alleyway by her side and stopped for a moment… she could shorten the way by going through it.

Another image crossed her mind, making her decide. She stepped into the dark alley… she would regret it later.

She haven't even reached the half of that dark and narrow passage when two men appeared in front of her, a few meters away, blocking the exit. She stepped back. Still being far away from them, she had the chance to simply turn around and go back to the avenues, where light and people would secure her.

She went back a couple of steps, but when she turned around she met two more men, blocking the other exit. She was calm. They were just humans. She was an itako. By using her rosary and summoning a weak spirit, she could scare those men. She tainted her chest and her neck… and opened her eyes in shock. Her fingers just touched the soft fabric of the dress and war skin, nothing more. She blinked once, twice, before tainting again.

Where was it?

Her rosary, the one that she always carried around her neck, the one that helped her to summon spirits, the one that made her not just a woman, but an itako… wasn't there. It wasn't there, waiting for her to use it. It simply wasn't… there. Without it, she was a simple woman with little power or influence, lost in a world of chaos, and as a normal woman, she was exposed to the most common menaces.

Such as this one.

"Hey, sweet lips!" said one of them.

Anna trembled, but tried hard to not show fear. If they were just burglars, she could cooperate and leave unharmed. Now, if they were more than simple burglars… Oh, God.

"What do you got in there, mmm?" asked another from behind her.

Due to the intensity of the voice, she figured that the ones from behind must be approaching to her, trapping her in that dark and lonely alley… what an irony. To try to correct a bad act doing well and the karma treats you like shit.

"Medicines" she responded, trying to sound confident.

"Medicines? For what?"

Usually, she would answer such an obvious question with a sarcastic phrase, such as _"For my car. It has been coughing too much lately"_ or she would say something sharper like this _"To cure a sick person, you dickhead. For what else medicines are used?"_

However, this wasn't a normal situation. She could not risk her safety by saying something stupid… if her safety was not doomed yet. She kept her pride and sarcasm as low as possible, trying to maintain her face calm.

"My brother is sick and he needs them"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that" murmured one from behind her, and she could already feel his hot breath against the back of her neck. "So… what's your name?"

"Sakura" she lied

"Nice name" Anna turned to see the four of them at the same time. This wasn't good. Too of them were well built, and although the other too seemed to be the weakest, their strength was bigger than hers. "Now, give me that"

"My brother needs those medicines" she said, with impassible voice. If the thing that they wanted was not that important, she would have simply given it to them. Anna resisted for a moment, but then did as they said, full of regret.

"Where do you live? Are you from town?"

"No. I'm staying at a hotel. My brother got sick there…"

"… And you're alone"

That hadn't been a question, but an affirmation. They knew that she was alone, probably because the have spotted her in some point of the avenues and had followed their prey. When she went into the alleyway, two of them had run to block her exit, while the other two had blocked the opening, trapping her like a bird in a cage. The plan was to perfect to be improvised, yet too simple to be fully planned.

A man of 25 years or so approached to her. He was tall, strong and red-haired. His skin was slightly darker than hers. A long scar parted his left eyebrow and eyelid, almost reaching his cheek.

Anna stepped back, but they grew closer. She gritted her teeth. These were not just burglars… they were something worse, way worse, bad enough to make her tremble with fear. And yet, her pride forced her to stand straight and look to the man of the scar to those blue, cold eyes.

She met his blue, cold eyes, teeth gritted and body tense in contained dread. What was him? Why did he hurt people like that? What kind of dark satisfaction could he get by doing this? What kind of creature was him?

Inhuman…

He noticed something different on this woman. She was different to most of the girls he had… _met_ before. She wasn't a coward. She was that kind of hot-headed, prideful woman. From those that struggle with all her might, angrier than scared, but the fear that they experiment to the end of the rape was always greater. He already knew that.

It would be a _pleasure_ to see her brake, to see her there, laid and shattered, without repair. How much would she cry then? How much would she suffer? How much pain would she experience? How much fear would she feel? Oh, to figure out…

He stared her for a while, tasting every second of her fear, hearing her agitated breath and exploring her with his cold eyes.

_"His eyes… such an unpleasant look he has"_

He tried to touch her cheek, but she frowned and hit his hand with her own, revealing her true personality. Then he laughed and slapped her, making her loose balance and fall to the ground with a loud _thud. _Two men grasped her wrists and held her down, while another one put his hands on top of her mouth, muffling the sound of protest that she would surely let escape.

Suddenly, he took his place in between her legs and pressed his lips against hers forcefully. Anna let out a small squeal of shock and a growl of displease, and tried hard to escape from the men's grip, with no luck. They were stronger than her. What could she do against them? Instead of screaming like most of the scared woman that they had hurt before, she tried to bite the hands over her mouth. The red-haired just laughed at her vain tries.

He started to touch her roughly and morbidly, making her tremble with fear and rage. She tried to break free, but the men held her down. She tried to scream, but her fear was being trapped by that hand. She kicked, to try to make the red-haired desist, but he didn't. He wouldn't stop. He simply kept staring at her with that morbid eyes of his, and then kissed her, touching her breast with brute force, finding delight in her attempts of escaping. Foolish, reckless, prideful woman. She wasn't going to escape.

He squeezed her breasts hard enough to receive a painful gasp from her. Pulling a knife from his pocked to tear up the black dress and the bra underneath it, he looked her to the eye, once again, noting that all that furious energy was rapidly becoming in pure terror. He smirked, and then kissed and bit her neck, not caring the pain that was coursing through her body. He only wanted to satisfy his needs.

Anna let out a growl, struggling under his suffocating weight. A normal woman would have begged, cried and screamed already. But Anna wasn't normal. Even in this situation, she was prideful enough to stop showing her fear and forbidding herself to cry, beg or scream… but that was hard when adrenaline was coursing through every fiber of her being.

He kept biting and licking her neck, and she continued struggling, disgusted. Once again, a snicker came out from his lips as his hand started to go down, slowly at first, until they touched her intimate.

Anna wrestled frantically, turning her head from side to side in an attempt to rescue her mouth from those hand's grip to scream to the top of her lungs, trying to break free her hand to scratch them with her nails (just at it would really hurt them, anyways), and kicking with her knees the sides of the man that was touching her, making her body unclean, profane.

Even although the possibilities of escaping were cero, she had to try, god dammit! They wanted to hurt her, to rape her! And they were stronger than her, faster than her!...

It… It was unfair!

She felt his hand touching _there_, and then two fingers inside of her, almost making her cry in pain. Those fingers moved, in and out, and the owner seemed not to care a bit. Angst and sorrow filled her heart as pain an agony ran through every nerve of her body, making her want to scream and sob restlessly.

He saw he there, eyes shut forcefully, jaw clenched, fingers digging in the concrete as the only way to let the pain out, to not loose herself and break at this… invasion.

He grew tired of his game, and put himself completely over her, overwhelming her. He loosened the zipper of his jeans and exposed his manhood to her, enjoying the fear that she felt. How not to note it, if she was terrified even when trying to hide it?

Then he guided himself into her, slowly, not because he wanted to be careful but because he liked it that way. He felt and obstacle inside of her, and saw the cringe of pain that she made. He smirked.

"Then, you are a virgin, Sakura" he said, his voice hoarse "When I'm finished with you, there will be no innocence in you…"

He grasped his hips, and thrust hard, hearing her muffled screams and cries. Was she still trying to contain herself?

She contained her shaken sobs and muffled screams, freezing to endure the pain that she was neing forced to bear, but it was then when cold reality met her pride, shattering it to pieces, full and cruel realization tearing her heart apart.

She was being raped, penetrated. There was a man inside of her, and the others would come after him. She was no longer pure. Her eyes watered with warm tears as she thought of Yoh, burning in fever over that futon. What would he think of her once he knew, if he ever knew? Would he still want to marry her now that she was unclean? Or would he hate her because of this, because she was no longer pure?

_"No…"_

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**A/N:** So, did you like it? Hope you did. The translation was more difficult to make than I thought before, but I managed to do it. TT.TT (feeling prideful today).

If you have any suggestions concerning grammar, spelling, redaction or the fic, just put them in your reviews or send me an e-mail or something. I would really appreciate it.

Special thanks to **Bert The Nomad, **whom supported me and helped me to overcome that shyness of mine! He is a great person, really, and an excellent writer. I recommend him with blind eyes. Thanks, man!

Thanks for your time, folks! Take care!

Shaman King is Takei's property… if it were mine, I would have made another season already.


	2. Sour Awakening

Second chapter. There will be stuff that may seem boring for some of you (just some medical and psychological concepts that I put here to add a little bit more realism). So, please, be patient. The names of those medical and psychological concepts will just be mentioned in the fic, but will be explained at the final author's note.

**BTW, I forgot to mention that Yoh is 20 and Anna is 19. Even before the Spanish version was written, I thought about their ages and decided that 15 or 16 would be too young. An adult woman an man would take the situation differently and in a more mature way than a 15 year old girl or a 16 year old boy. So, in an attempt of making it look less… cruel, I put them that age. They are not teenagers anymore.**

Also, I strongly recommend that you read the manga, since I'm going to use some of the situations that were not shown in the anime along the fic, like Anna is a reishi (Japanese version of telepathy and empathy together). Yeah, she can read what is people thinking and knows how they are feeling (I couldn't waste such an interesting and controversial, without mentioning troublesome, power). If you haven't read it, visit my profile and look in the section "cool stuff". There you will find a link that will lead you to stoptazmo, a site were you can download several mangas for free, but I think you have to register in order to read them (believe me, it worth it!)

Thanks for your kind reviews and your patience.

Now, on the fic!

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**A sour awakening**

Yoh woke up with the faint sound of birds ringing in his ears. He turned and put the pillow over his head in an attempt of blocking the sunlight coming from the window and stop hearing those damnable birds.

His tries just proved to be futile. He removed the pillow and opened his eyes… Why did they hurt so much? He blinked several times to adapt his eyes to the morning light. Why did he had such an awful headache? Why did his body feel numb?

_"What a headache…"_ he thought, half asleep _"… ¿What time is it?"_

Breakfast time, he assumed. And he should be cooking right now, least he find himself hanging from a pole or flying straight to the stratosphere… Anna would be waiting with animal appetite for sure. For some odd reason, he didn't feel fear. The headache was too troublesome to care for the slaps, smacks, punches and kicks that Anna would surely gave him when she found out that he hadn't cooked anything yet.

He squirmed under the sheets, comfortable. He didn't want to get up or do anything now, just to lay there and dream awake for a while.

Finally daring to explore his surroundings, he realized that he wasn't in his room… this was… the living room? Why was he in the living room?

He sat up and gave another painful look to the empty room. Yes, it was the living room. There was the T.V., the table, his sword leaning almost carelessly on the wall, waiting to be used for an Oversoul… Anna's bandana?

Odd…

She usually didn't use it while being inside the house, but she wasn't disorganized, either. She would simply leave it in her closet, perfectly folded like all her clothes. Her organization was sometimes scary… Why would she leave it there?

He reached the red bandana and pulled it to his lap, gently running his fingers through the soft fabric. Grasping the borders of the clothe and lowering his head to catch that sweet scent of her, he smiled. Raspberries and lavender, her favorite shampoo.

In a subconscious turn of his head, he noticed something shimmering over the floor, and tried to focus his blurry gaze to see what it was… Anna's rosary?

Why the hell did Anna take her rosary off? The bandana was a thing, he had seen her without it many times, but the rosary… she would go out with it, stay in house with it, see T.V. with it, eat with it… hell, she even slept with it by her side. He was starting to think she bathed with it hanging around her neck! There was no power in heaven or hell that had forced her to not make physic contact with the rosary before. Why did she leave it in the living room, then?

His ears picked a sound… the main door opening and footsteps approaching… Was it Anna?

No, it wasn't. It couldn't be.

The footsteps were too heavy, too slow. After years of living with her, he knew the rhythm and sound of her walking. It was always agile and soft, not erratic.

He crawled towards the door, silently, trying to spy through the door's paper panels. A black silhouette wandered in the hall… a burglar had find his way in, maybe? It wasn't the first time that a person entered the inn to steal something. However, a robber would never leave without a sweet and gentle Anna-summons-spirits-and-kicks-some-asses-again.

The man stopped and seemed to lean on the wall. He heard him panting. He couldn't see his face and most of his body through the paper panels. However, it was a thin and small man. He couldn't figure more than that without opening the door completely.

Yoh dared to open the door; just enough to spy through the small opening. Harusame rested in his hand. Even is he was numb and pained, he still could scare the criminal by himself.

The black silhouette was moving again, this time towards the stairs. The pants were still audible. They almost sounded tired, hurtful. Yoh opened the door a little more, hoping to get a good look of the man, but it was impossible. He couldn't see him though such a small opening, when they were so far from each other.

Tired of waiting the perfect moment to attack, he opened the door and gasped. Thar wasn't a criminal, it was…

"Anna!"

She turned her head and looked at him, black eyes opened in pure terror, breath agitated in dread. She trembled, the pain in her insides made her stumble.

Then, she fell down.

Yoh ran to her and caught her in mid-air, stopping her fall. Anna struggled and tried to push him away in vain, to break free from his grasp. She couldn't. She was too weak, too tired, and yet, she struggled. His proximity scared her, as if he were some kind of dreadful threat.

She heard him saying something like _"what's the matter"_, struggled for another moments and then froze, her little strength exhausted once again, blinking as if waking from a heavy dream or a terrible nightmare… she knew that voice, didn't she? That voice… that gentle, soft, concerned voice… Yoh?

She looked up and met his eyes, dumbfounded. Yes, she knew him. His voice, his face, his eyes… it was Yoh.

"Yoh…"

Her voice was shaky and raspy, as if she had screamed or cried too much. God, what had happened to her? Her clothes were torn, and several cuts covered her body, some of them were rather small, just scratches compared to the bites that decorated her neck and shoulders. Dry blood dirtied her wounded frame, especially in between her legs…

Realization descended upon him, as new tears formed in her eyes. She leant her head on his shoulder and sobbed chokingly

"Forgive… Yoh, forgive me" she said, her breath coming in short pants and sobs "I tried to stop them… I really did… I tried… b-but they didn't stop… wouldn't… stop…"

She let out a faint cry as she leant on him for support. If he let her go, she would fall for sure. She tried to calm, and take back those shaky pants that were coming out form her mouth, but it was impossible to not cry.

All her body hurt from head to toe: the back of her head that had hit the concrete floor, hear dry throat, her bitten neck and breasts, her bloodied belly and back, her scratched waist, her shaken legs, her injured and throbbing insides… everything. She had never felt so much pain, so much agony... how could her body stand such anguish?

Pain and fatigue in her body, sorrow and despair in her heart.

Yoh just stood there, speechless at the moment, feeling powerless. Everything was clear now. The torn clothes, the bloodied marks, the awful bites… everything made sense now. His brain found the connection that linked one thing to the others and made a terrible conclusion.

She had been raped.

"… We should go to the hospital"

Anna spent at least ten seconds processing his words, just as if she had several troubles listening to him or understanding what he had said. She couldn't help but frown and shake her head weakly.

"No… I don't want to go out…"

The truth was that she was afraid of leaving the inn, and only wanted to bath and sleep, to remove the disgusting sensation of filth moving beneath her skin and the tiredness. She just wanted to rest.

"I don't want… anybody to see me like this"

Not now that she was wounded, almost naked and so scared, her pride shattered to pieces like a mirror broken by a heavy punch. She didn't want anybody to see her in this condition. Bearing all she had to endure, to show herself at a hospital would be too much for her. She wouldn't be able to stand it.

"We have to go… to check if you're gonna be ok"

"… I'm fine"

"No, you're not" he said, holding her shaky body "This is serious… you need help. What if… what if you are pregnant?"

Anna froze, eyes wide in fear and shimmering with tears. That couldn't be, could it? She had not thought about that possibility quite yet. She had been too tired and pained to think about it while walking towards the inn. However, there were still risks. This was not over yet. She could be pregnant.

She closed her eyes and cried softly.

Yoh sighed, his eyes watery. Who would do this to her? Why would someone wan to hurt her, to put her into such a dire situation, to break her like that? Why to forcer her to do something she didn't want to do? How could a man obtain pleasure by doing such a thing? Who would be sick enough, cruel enough to do this to her?

A demon…

"Look, we'll do this: I will go for your coat while you wait for me here, then you can out it on and we'll drive to the hospital, 'K?"

Anna seemed to thing about it for a long while, unsure of what to do next. In this condition, her mind numb due to the pain, the fear and the lack of sleep. Her brain wasn't working at all. It was impossible for her to make accurate decisions or to analyze properly. All she could do was to lay on Yoh for support and tremble.

"I want to bath first…"

"No, you can't. Remember this guy that explained about these situations to our class?"

She tried to recall and remembered. A doctor or something like that gave them a long chat about traumatic experiences. He said something about rape, too. He said that the most common mistakes of a raped person was bathing and changing clothes instead of going to the hospital or police station immediately. These actions destroyed evidence in casa the victim wanted to demand.

Anna didn't know if she wanted to demand or not. She wasn't able to think right now. She only wanted the pain to go.

Finally, she nodded, her face never resuming its usually cold expression. She looked scared, almost terrified, as if a monster would come through the doors to torture her again.

"I'll get your coat"

He helped her to approach to a nearby wall and to lean on it. She couldn't stand straight or walk for herself, and was afraid that if he left her in the middle of the hall she would fall. Her left leg hurt like Hell.

She trembled when he tried to leave her alone, leant on the wall, and grasped his shoulders instinctively, afraid that the only protective figure she had found leave her there, alone.

"Shhh" he soothed her "I'll be back soon. Two minutes top" his voice sounded calm and reassuring "I promise"

Anna didn't dare to look him to the eyes, but to his feet. She swallowed, and the nodded, still trembling in a mix of pain, insecurity and fear. She had stopped crying.

She let him go, not noticing the reassuring smile that he gave her, but heard his footsteps when he went upstairs to get her coat. Anna moved her head and looked around, watching her surroundings, until Yoh went down again to meet her, her coat in his arms.

Being careful to not hurt her or inflict more damage, he helped her put the coat around her fragile frame, covering the wounds and the bloody cuts effectively. Then, he made her lean on him again to help her walk towards the exit, but Anna stopped. Even when physical contact scared her, she had to trust in him for now, but there was a thing that would give her more sense of security.

"M-my rosary"

"I'll get it"

As soon as Anna had that rosary around her neck again, he noted her calmer, more secure, as if the artifact gave her a little sense of power, since she could summon spirits by using it. She was not a vulnerable girl as long as she had it hanging around her neck.

Yoh highly doubted she could summon anything with the little strength she had, but said nothing as he helped her get into the car. If she felt better with the rosary, it was fine to him.

He drove as carefully as he could without sacrificing too much speed. He wanted her to be checked as soon as possible, but did not want to hurt her with the bumps of the car.

He glanced at her, and found that her eyes were watery and puffy, her hair a mess. She was not crying anymore, and would not do it in front of him. He knew that even with the trauma wandering in her mind, she still held some of her pride, and was not going to loose it by crying.

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Anna's nose caught the smell of the hospital even before going in: alcohol, sterilized instruments and medicines. She frowned. She didn't like that place. There were too many disturbing emotions floating freely in the air… despair, concern, a little rage, fear… the fear of dying.

That was one of the worst places for her. Being a reishi, other people's thoughts and emotions would affect her in such a concentration. She didn't want to stay, but knew that nothing could be done about it. She needed to be here, she needed medical attention.

She heard Yoh talking to a nurse, but did not know what he was saying to her.

"Look" said Yoh, awakening her from the trance "She is nurse Clara, she will take you to a room to check you" Anna seemed to distrust his words "I will stay hera and wait for you, 'K?

Anna nodded, and let Yoh go. The nurse took her to a white room. The smell of alcohol was stronger there. There were only women in there, she noted, relaxing visibly.

Clara helped her to get on a cot. Anna thanked silently to this temporal relief. At least she didn't have to walk anymore. The throbbing pain was still there, but it wasn't that intense now that she was laid down.

"So, sweetie, what's your name?"

"Anna… Kyouyama Anna"

The nurse annotated something in a sheet of paper and started talking again. Anna closed her eyes to rest them a little, but did not sleep.

"Look, we need to run some test on you to check that you are not pregnant or have gotten an illness" Anna nodded and swallowed, speechless and scared again. "We can also check your body to look for proofs if you want to demand. It can be uncomfortable, but it's necessary" Anna nodded again, rage and the need of retrieving her lost pride boiling inside of her. She knew that the check would be embarrassing, but she was here already "We will have to check all you body, and even take some pictographs…"

"Pictographs?" the fact that someone had seen her like this was uncomfortable, the proof collection could be embarrassing, but to take pictographs of her in that condition to show them in a Court … she wouldn't stand it, it would be too much humiliation for her to bare.

"We will only collect the proofs if you want to" the nurse said, trying to be gentle with her.

"The pictographs… are they necessary?"

"They are one of the strongest weapons of a victim in a Court. Even although collecting DNA material that was left in your body (such as the rapist's blood and hair), a pictograph would show the damage that the victim suffered during the attack, proving that the act wasn't consented"

Anna thought for a long while, her brain working at all the speed it was capable of now. Dignity or vengeance? A decision like this was extremely hard for her. She was prideful, yes, but her character tended to approve revenge and had converted her in a grudge holder… and that grudge wouldn't go low that easily. She needed to satisfy her need, her revenge thirst.

And yet, she also wanted to keep the little pride she had now. To show herself in a Court with proves and pictographs of herself… that wasn't precisely the most appealing idea. Of course, that would start the legal process to initiate the search for them and, eventually, put them in jail, but for her the pride was of utmost importance.

_"To Hell with dignity" _she thought, her jaw clenching as a wave of raw rage filled her numbed mind _"Those bastards have taken my pride already… and they took something that I can't get back. I want they dead… the four of them… dead"_

She knew she couldn't kill them, but she would put them in a jail, at least. They would suffer there.

"Check me" she said, struggling to breathe "I will demand"

"I will call another nurse to help me" Clara said, smiling lightly "and a police man… woman" she clarified, seeing her tension at the mention of _man_ "to take your declarations. It shouldn't take long"

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Yoh paced in the waiting room, restlessly looking towards the white doors which leaded to the room where Anna was being checked. He had taken aspirins already, to lower the ache in his head, but those pills didn't bane his agitation and worries…The trauma had converted her in a scared and helpless woman, but he was sure that she would get over it in time… but if Anna got some disease or was now pregnant, it would change her live… their lives forever. He leaned forward and hid his face in his hands, resting his arms on his knees.

According to the Asakura family's traditions, a… impure woman shouldn't marry the heir. She must be virgin till the day she marries or the day her husband decides to take her. It was a rule, a tradition that should be ignored. With this situation, Yohmei and Kino would probably want to nullify the engagement…. He didn't want that. Even although he and Anna had not shared their first kiss yet or even said their first, shy "I love you", he was used to her and didn't wanted another fiancée. He was used to her, to her moods, to her habits, to her walking, to her almost imperceptible smile, to her voice… he liked her, even although he did not dare to said that he loved her.

Yohmei and Kino couldn't be so cruel. Anna needed support and care right now; they wouldn't dare to throw her to the streets like she was nothing but a used object, right? Sure. Besides, Kino appreciated Anna and recognized her as the best candidate for Yoh (there weren't many, anyways). She was a strong and powerful itako, without to mention hell smart. She was selected from a small group of itakos and shamans to be his wife someday. Anna was Kino's favortite since the old woman had raised her since she was little, there was no way those two hadn't developed some kind of mother-daughter relationship, and if Kino felt some that kind of love towards Anna, there was a bonus for her.

However, those were just suppositions… what would they really do? Would their decisions be guided by the traditions or by affections?

He kept thinking about that for at least three hours, torturing himself.

"Asakura Yoh?"

He raised his head from his hand and looked to the doctor that had spoken his name. She was 39 or 40 years, maybe, and not very tall. She had dark eyes and some latin features without abandoning the Japanese ones. Yoh stood up and walked to her, concerned.

"I am"

"Ajibana Akako, to your services" she said. Yoh nodded in recognition "It will be better if we talk about this in private"

Yoh nodded again, and followed her to her office. There, the doctor signaled a chari for him to sit, and she sat behind an armchair behind the high desk. Some books and papers were over it, and two girls in a picture smiled to him.

"How is she" he finally asked"

"We have run some tests already; none of them indicates some sickness. And we gave her a pill to prevent pregnancy. However, we still have to check her for a H.I.V., since the virus incubation process is so slow, it will take months to make a firm conclusion. It is impossible for us to guarantee she isn't a carrier of the virus right now" Akako noted his tension and added "The possibilities of contracting the virus are rather low, just a 1 to 5"

Those numbers were too big for him.

"Also" he met her eyes "her left knee is sprained, and I fear is not a low degree sprain. She will have to stay here for a few days, perhaps three or four" she looked at him, and her eyes got softer, rounder, filled with compassion "This was her first time, wasn't it?" Yoh nodded; she sighed "That would explain the high amount of blood… However, the physical injuries will heal in time. I'm more worried about her… mental state"

"Mental state?"

"A rape is a strong trauma. It would be prudent to take her to a specialist"

"A psychiatrist?"

"Her physical state is deplorable right now, but her injuries will heal in time. But her mind… She is unstable right now, and that instability could change her forever if she is not treated"

Yoh nodded, his shoulders sinking in helplessness. He knew it was bad. But what he feared the most was Anna's reaction when she knew she had to go to a psychiatrist… no, she would not want to go, maybe because she was ashamed about the situation, or maybe because she would want to keep her pride untouched now. But he knew that she wouldn't want to go, and he wouldn't force her.

"I understand"

"I have worked here for fifteen years already, and I know some good psychologist and psychiatrists. Perhaps it will be better if we put her in the hands of another woman, since we tend to be a little more comprehensive than man… there is one who is very analytic and is specialized in violent cases, multiple and gang rapes…"

"Gang rapes?"

Akako stared him and gave him the psychiatrist card. He read it, distracted for a while. In black thick letters was printed the information he needed:

_Miyasaki Aiko_

2-7-13 _Nihonbashi, Goro street_

_03-3641-6832_

It was just a simple card with simple information. He nodded and slid the hard paper card into one of his pockets.

"She wasn't raped by one man, but by four…"

Yoh blinked in awe, not knowing what to think or do right now. A man was bad enough… but four? Anna wasn't the only instable person right now. Even he, the most easy-going and calm person in Tokyo, was worried and did not know what would happen next, or what he should do for Anna's sake… and for his own.

"The proof collecting is over already. Anna was taken to a private room already with all the facilities she needs. I will have an eye on her. The sprain may be more troublesome than expected"

"May I… see her?

She seemed to think for a while, and then nodded.

"Yes, I guess you can" Yoh stood up "Yoh, I hope you understand Anna's condition. It is highly probable she won't want to talk about the incident. Don't force her to do it. However, if she is willingly to tell everything to you, just listen to her and wait by her side. That way she will get used to you. It is also possible that she… fears you"

"Fear… me? But I… Why?"

"Because she was raped by men, and right now she fears every man she sees. The fear will go away if you treat her well and have patience with her. Make her comprehend that you do not want to hurt her. If she wants a shoulder to cry on, offer yours. Once she gets used to that, she will trust you again.

Yoh nodded, his head feeling heavy due to so much turmoil. The doctor's gaze got softer.

"I'm sorry such a thing happened to your girlfriend…"

"She is my fiancée" the doctor blinked. So it was true that young people nowadays live a hurried live…

"I… am just saying this to make you comprehend she needs support now. Please, try to be patient to her, since she won't be… stable enough to keep a romantic relationship, and she may reject some psychical contact coming from you. Don't force her. She will be ready someday" She smiled at him, but he did not "I will take you to her room"

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I'm done. So, how was it? I know… boring. So many concepts… my head still hurts due to the intensive research. So, here is a "little" bit of information for those who may be interested:

**Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): **is a term for certain psychological consequences of exposure to, or confrontation with, stressful experiences that the person experiences as highly traumatic (war, near death, the death of a loved person, severe accident, abuse, rape). The experience must involve actual or threatened death, serious physical injury, or a threat to physical and/or psychological integrity. It is occasionally called post-traumatic stress reaction to emphasize that it is a routine result of traumatic experience rather than a manifestation of a pre-existing psychological weakness on the part of the patient. The persons that suffer this disease manifest nightmares, _flashbacks_, emotional instability, insomnia, irritability, hiperarousal (hyperactive startle reaction to unexpected stimulus such as the flash of a camara), avoidance of contact with everyone and everything, and memory loss.

**Obsessive-compulsive disorder** (**OCD**): is an attention-related psychiatric disorder; more specifically, it is an anxiety disorder. It is manifested in many forms, but it is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions, such as washing hands repeatedly to prevent germ contamination or avoiding contact to prevent an intimate touch.

**Panic attack: **is a period of intense, often temporarily disabling sense of extreme fear or psychological distress, typically of abrupt onset. Though it is often a purely terrifying feeling to the sufferer, panic attacks are actually an evolutionary body response often known as the fight-or-flight response. Symptoms may include trembling, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, sweating, nausea, dizziness (or slight vertigo), hyperventilation, tingling sensations, vomiting, and sensations of choking or smothering. During a panic attack, the body typically releases large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream. Many first time sufferers of a panic attack believe they are dying or going insane. It is a feeling that cannot be described until one has had an attack. Many often say panic attacks are one of the most frightening experiences in their lives. Repeated and apparently unprovoked panic attacks may be a sign of panic disorder, but panic attacks are associated with other anxiety disorders as well. For example, people who suffer from phobias may experience panic attacks upon exposure to certain triggers.

**Body memory:** is the theory that the body itself is capable of storing memories, as opposed to only the brain. This is used to explain having memories for events where the brain was not in a position to store memories and is sometimes a catalyst for repressed memories recovery. These memories are often characterized with phantom pain in a part or parts of the body - the body appearing to remember the past trauma.

**Flashback:** is a psychological phenomenon in which someone remembers a past experience. The term is usually used only when the memory is recalled involuntarily, and/or when it is so intense that the person "relives" the experience (especially if a memory is mainly stored in the procedural memory), unable to fully recognize it as being a memory.

If there is a concept that I missed or you have any doubts, send me a review or an email, and I will reply it.

If you have any suggestions concerning my grammar, spelling, redaction or the fic, please let me know.


	3. Nightmares

Sorry for taking so long! I was on vacation! I went to USA… such a cool place. And I went to Disney World and met Donald… my secret dream has come true. And then I lost the flight and spent a week in the airport, so when I finally reached home, school had started! And I was far behind! So I couldn't write properly until a few days ago, when the teachers finally gave us a break with the tests, expositions and such.

Third chapter and one of my favorites… don't know why, maybe because there is a little moment between Anna and Yoh… or maybe because there is more dark stuff.

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**Nightmares**

The officer was satisfied. Anna had given her exact detail of the incident: the location of the attack, the number of attackers, the weapons that they used or had, their appearance and some characteristics (curiously, the four of them had a green dragon tattooed on their left arm. Perhaps it was the gang's symbol).

However, she was somehow molested by the… odd behavior of this girl. Most of the victims would have cried, screamed and lost control already. This one was different… she had managed to stay calm and collected during the interrogation.

_"Creepy…"_

She shook those thoughts out of her head and tried to remember that the girl had been attacked. Perhaps she was taking the things her own way, keeping everything inside instead of letting all out. That cold face could be no more than a façade.

A knock in the door made Anna jump slightly and show to the officer and brief glimpse of fear in her eyes, but she managed to recover control over herself and put that cold face again. She saw doctor Ajibana enter the room and snorted softly. She didn't like the woman's attitude, the look of compassion in her eyes… she didn't like compassion at all.

Then she looked at Yoh. Her face fell, her eyes full of tears again and her shoulders shaking in tension and guilt.

"It will be enough" the officer said, making a short bow.

Ajibana nodded, and evaluated the situation as the officer left. There was a tension between those two… and there was no fear in Anna's eyes, but shame. Perhaps it would be wise to leave them alone?

The doctor left the room. Yoh looked at Anna for a short moment. She looked better now that she had no blood all over her body and the wounds had been treated and bandaged. But she also seemed to be tired. That was to be expected. She had left the pension at 11 o' clock to buy medicines, been attacked half an hour later and gotten back walking in a deplorable condition. She had had no sleep in more than 24 hours.

The tension in the room grew higher as seconds passed. Yoh wanted to ask her so many questions. What had happened? How did she feel? Could he do something to make it better? Could he even help? Did she fear him?

However, of all those questions he just vocalized one of them:

"Can I sit?"

Anna seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, and then nodded and signaled the chair beside the bed. She couldn't trust her voice any longer; she knew she would cry if she spoke. She didn't dare to look him to the eyes either.

Yoh sat beside her bed and looked down, not knowing what to do next. He noted the shake around her shoulders, and sighed. So, it was true… she feared him too.

The uncomfortable silence prolonged for long minutes. Yoh thought of what else could he ask her without hurting her or making her uncomfortable. A simple "Are you Ok?" was not the best option for him, since it was clear she wasn't. He tried to make another question.

"How are you feeling?"

He wanted to bang his head against something for that stupidity. That question had been almost the same as an _"Are you ok?"_

"Better…"

Well, at least she had answered that question. That was something. The silence took place over and around them again, suffocating both. Anna shot him small glimpse to try to decipher his expression, but it was extremely hard: it was a mix of pain, confusion, curiosity, _rage_, _hatred_… she could see those feelings, but for some reason could not read his thoughts, maybe because she was instable?

To who were those feelings directed? To her or to the men that hurt her so badly?

Was he mad at her? Did he think she had the fault?... Then… he would nullify the engagement, wouldn't he? Yes, he would. He had come to tell her that they were no longer engaged. She bit the insides of her cheek and trembled, but forced herself to maintain that cold face of her, telling herself that it was predictable. Yohmei wouldn't let the heir marry to an impure woman. She was going to be parted from him.

Anna waited for him to tell her the news, she waited… and kept waiting. Yoh didn't say anything. He just sat there, looking down. Why wouldn't he just say it and leave? The silence was becoming unbearable again, and her tenseness just grew as five more minutes passed. Her eyes locked on the white sheets as she said:

"The engagement will be nullified…"

That question managed to confuse him for a while that did not last long. Yoh comprehended what she had been thinking and shook his head.

"No"

She finally looked at him, eyes wide opened in disbelief.

"But… but…"

"I don't want to break the engagement, and won't let my parents do it…"

"But...the traditions…"

"I will talk to them and convince them…"

"But… why?"

Yoh jut looked her to the eyes. Anna maintained that contact just for a few seconds. She couldn't bear the glance he held over her. No, this wasn't a logic decision. That union… it wasn't allowed and wouldn't be accepted. Yoh couldn't marry her now that she was impure… and yet… he insisted on doing it?

Anna used all of her intellect to try to find some logic in the shaman's decision, and Yoh tried to answer her question. _"Why?"_ she had asked. There were many answers to that, but no all of them were the most indicate. He could say he was used to her, that he _liked_ her, that he didn't want another fiancée… but that would surely scare her, wouldn't it? Luckily, she questioned him again before he could even answer her first inquiry.

"… Are you mad?"

"No"

"Don't lie to me. I can feel it. You are mad… mad at me?"

He could tell she feared his answer.

"No. I'm mad, but not at you" he said. Anna seemed relieved at that. "Look, we will stay here for a few days, and then we will go back home…"

"The tests…"

"Negative, all of them, but they want to run a few more on you to make sure, and they have to treat that sprain"

"… Your parents won't allow this, you know it"

"But I won't let them nullify our engagement" he said "I want you to be... the honorable wife of the Shaman King"

Anna looked at him again, this time tears simmering in her eyes. She didn't say anything though, and neither did he. Be silent was the best option for him, as Anna cried in gratitude.

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"Well, here we are"

Yoh helped her to get out of the car. She seemed to be nervous now that they were touching, but didn't complain as he gave her the crutches she would be using for walking until her leg was cured. She hated those things as much as she hated depending on someone else but herself. They were heavy, cold and hard… but it was the only way to walk on her own, and only wanted to enter the inn and rest. Three days in a hospital being feed with… hospital food made Yoh look like a professional chef to her, and that's scary.

She had also developed some kind of intense dislike for those cheesy novels she used to like in which the main character falls in love with a beautiful woman that is married and/or has an evil twin sister who has sex with the main character while the woman is watching. And then the evil twin sister reveals her true identity to the main character (also known as "hero"), who goes and seeks for the woman he fell in love with to find she has committed suicide… and then he kisses her, she comes back to life and everyone happy.

Hell, she now wondered why she had liked them so much.

They entered the inn together, Yoh walking patiently behind her. He noticed a problem: the stairs. Even although Anna would probably want to go to her room in the second floor and would probably try to go upstairs, Yoh didn't want her to rush or force her body, risking her recovery.

Anna seemed to be thinking about that, too.

"Maybe you could sleep in the living room? I will get your things if you want to… and you could watch TV if you like…"

Anna almost wanted to throw him a jar just hearing the word TV escaping his lips.

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Yoh chopped the vegetables distractingly. Anna had not left the living room since they had arrived, and had not even got mad at him for taking so long on preparing the dinner. He never heard the sound of a sad, dramatic novel leaving the room where she was. Was the TVC off? That was odd. Anna always watched TV when she had the chance.

_"Perhaps she is just thinking. She just needs some time… and support"_

That though reminded him of the card the doctor had given to him, wich was still on his coat's pocket. He knew she wouldn't like the idea of going to a psychiatrist. She had always been extremely independent in those aspects. He knew she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She never would admit she needed help. She would simply say she was fine in that low-sarcastic tone of hers.

He sighed. Maybe he could convince her after de dinner. Anna was always a little softer after eating.

He continued with the dinner. Rice, baked fish, soy beans, tea and miso soup. With his duties finally done, he placed the dishes and chopsticks on the table and approached the living room, stopping by the door.

"Anna" he called gently "Dinner is ready"

"… I will go in a moment"

That was odd… Anna never waited to eat. It was true that she was a well mannered girl while eating, but her hunger was always scary and drove her mood in an unnatural way. It was impossible for her to stand her hunger for more than an hour.

He sited by the table and waited for her to eat. The dinner was getting cold.

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Anna didn't want to go out, even if it was to eat… She wasn't hungry, either, even although she knew that she should be at this time. However, she just wanted to stay like that forever: curled and shaking under the covers of the futon, trying to block those sour memories. Every time she closed her eyes she saw them all, she felt them inside of her, hurting her badly. And God, how it hurt… She felt so used and dirty, and could not do anything to stop feeling that way.

All she could do was o curl herself and grasp her clothes every time she heard a sound or perceived a movement that turned to be fake, an illusion. But it wasn't her fault to be scared, was it? The room was so similar to that dark alley: dark and cold. Somehow she now feared the room. She feared its darkness.

A lonely tear wet the pillow as another painful memory danced behind her eyes.

_"When I finish with you, you'll have no innocence left"_

_He grasped his hips, and thrust hard, hearing her muffled screams and cries. Was she still trying to contain herself?_

_She contained her shaken sobs and muffled screams, freezing to endure the pain that she was being forced to bear, but it was then when cold reality met her pride, shattering it to pieces, full and cruel realization tearing her heart apart._

_She was being raped, penetrated. There was a man inside of her, and the others would come after him. She was no longer pure. Her eyes watered with warm tears as she thought of Yoh, burning in fever over that futon. What would he think of her once he knew, if he ever knew? Would he still want to marry her now that she was unclean? Or would he hate her because of this, because she was no longer pure?_

"_No…"_

_Her body grew weak as realization descended upon her. Her forceful struggles stopped and faint cries came out throatily from her dry mouth. There was no hope left, was it? It was impossible for her to escape now. All she could do was to stay quiet and wait, even if it hurt like Hell, even if she hated it. _

_The man that had held her mouth shot retired his hand to allow the red-haired to kiss her roughly enough to tear her lips. She felt him biting his neck again, but did not even squeal at the sense of his teeth grazing her skin. He got frustrated at her sudden surrender. _

_**"Scream" **he said hoarsely. She did not even move_._ She was too tired to scream or struggle, and she was not going to obey the orders of that demon. He slapped her, but she remained silent. **"I'll give you a reason to scream"**_

_His thrusts came deeper, more violent as a dark smile of satisfaction lit his lips. She was struggling again, shrieking again. But she did not plead or scream. She was begging silently instead, talking to herself in her head. _

_"Stop… Oh, God... stop…it hurts… it hurts… Stop!..."_

_**End of flashback**_

Anna curled and trembled under the covers, panting and whimpering softly. She hissed let out a moan of pain when her good leg touched the injured one. Digging her fingers in the soft pillow, she tried to calm.

_"Stop crying, you fool. Yoh will notice for sure…"_

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Five long minutes had passed before Anna finally left her room. She just sat where she used to sit and started eating. Yoh did the same. After a few moments he noticed she was just playing with the food.

"Anna… you're not even eating…"

"I'm not hungry"

That was just freaking odd. Anna was always hungry! She ate a lot in breakfast and meal, and less in the dinner, but she always ate at least two plates of rice, soup and the fish.

Yoh looked at her, but her eyes were stuck on her plate. However, he could see a soft tint of red in her eyes… She had been crying.

"You should…"

"I'm-not-hungry"

That cold tone of voice was clear. She was not in the mood to discuss and would not be persuaded by his matters, even if he was right. Anna tended to be really stubborn, especially when she was not in the mood.

Of course, he could still try to talk about other things.

"Well… look, Doctor Ajibana gave me a card…"

"A psychiatrist" she said.

As smart as usual.

"Exactly" he said.

"Forget it"

That answer was expected by him. Anna hated to admit she needed help, and would not do it now, especially when a "professional" help was required. But he wouldn't drop this matter that easily.

"Anna, you're not…"

"I'm fine"

"… Look at me"

Anna glanced down, to the table and plates, not wanting to meet his dark gaze. If he looked him, he would know she had been crying, and she just didn't want him to have that knowledge. Crying was a weakness.

Yoh repeated his petition in a firmer tone. She swallowed and looked up, meeting his eyes for a few fractions of second before locking them again on her plate.

"You had been crying"

He had noticed, then. Ten more minutes passed, but they didn't eat or talk. Both of them were thinking.

"You're not okay. You need help…"

"No" she whispered "I don't want to go. It has been enough. Too many people know it already, and more will know when the police find those… bastards, more will know about this_…_Yohmei and Kino will know… I don't want anybody else to find out about this…humiliation"

Yoh stared at her for a few moments and then nodded. He couldn't force her to go. Anna simply didn't want anybody else to hear about the situation. Yoh hoped she would change her mind and soon. Doctor Ajibana had been very specific and clear with the consequences, but if Anna was so reluctant to go, she wouldn't. As easy as that.

She just ate a few more bites of fish and then stopped eating. After a couple of minutes she stood up and left the room. She needed a bath… and dammed sprained leg for its uselessness. She couldn't bath in the thermal waters because of that injury.

After bathing, she put the yukata on and went to sleep in the living room.

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_The red haired was satisfied finally. Another man came to take his place in between her legs, hurting her, making her pant and cry softly. She truly wanted to die. Pain grew stronger, almost unbearable, as time passed. Long seconds of raw agony numbed her mind, and some times she thought she would loose conciseness, but that never happened. Nor the desired darkness of unconsciousness nor the sweet, black blanket of death came to meet her ever. She was forced to stand the torture. _

_Another man finished with her. The third one came to her. She closed her eyes and cried in a strangled manner. She wasn't thinking straight now. How to think coldly when she was in so much pain?_

_"God, stop… Stop…it hurts… it hurts me… pain… This pain…" she closed her eyes and surrendered once more. Her strength was finally zapped away. She did not struggle nor cry in pain. Her mind was in another world, and her body was suffering badly "Yoh… forgive me…"_

_That's all she could think about. Pain, death and Yoh. The last of them satisfied his needs and stopped. She felt little relieve. Daring to open her eyes, she noticed they were standing up. All of them had jackknifes. Even the red-haired had one, but he hadn't stand up yet. He lowered his head, kissed her softly and then murmured._

_**"Be a good girl and don't tell anybody. If someone finds out, I will kill you" **_

_To prove he was being truthful, he drew a long cut to decorate her right arm. Two of the other men imitated him and started punching her, kicking her or cutting her. _

_**"Stop"**__she whimpered in an inaudible tone, tired and scared. One of them kicked her left arm **"Stop" **she repeated, louder **"Stop, stop! STOP!"** _

_"**I will kill your brother, too"** the red-haired added in a mockingly tone. _

_It was then when Anna really started to beg. She had forgotten her pride or her dignity. She only wanted them to stop, to leave her and Yoh alone. She just wanted them to go away. The red haired noted her sudden weakness at the mention of that "brother", and started murmuring how he would torture him and kill him._

_Anna struggled._

_**"Stop, stop…please… I will do… whatever you want… stop…"**_

_**"Good girl…"**_

_They didn't stop. The red-haired stood up and grabbed her by the ankle to hide her behind some trash cans. Then, he kicked her left knee, making her gasp in pain. _

_**"Stop… stop, stop…. STOP!..."**_

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Yoh woke up at midnight with a terrified scream ringing in his ears. He heard her screaming… Anna screaming… Stop?

He went downstairs at full speed, tripping with the yukata several times, but never stopping. It just took him seven five seconds to reach the door of the living room, open it and see her fiancée trembling in the darkness.

Anna jumped and jerked violently, looking at him with tearful, terrified eyes as she tried to move away from him. She could not see exactly who he was. She just knew that his black silhouette seemed threatening to her.

Yoh turned the lights on to discover a terrified girl laid on the floor and looking at him agitatedly. Her hands grasped the borders of the yukata she wore as if someone would try to take it off.

He approached her slowly, to not scare her even more, and then kneeled beside her.

"Anna, what happens?" She just shook head to indicate she didn't want to talk about it. Even although he wasn't threatening anymore, she did not want to tell him and revive that horrible nightmare "Was it a nightmare?" he asked softly. Anna nodded and dug her head in her palms. Yoh was going to say something else, but when he opened his mouth, she murmured something.

"Be a good girl and don't tell anybody" she said, repeating what the red haired had said to her. She sobbed softly "If someone finds out, I will kill you…"

Yoh tensed up in rage, comprehending suddenly. They had threatened her. They had threatened her to scare her, to force her to keep her mouth shut. She feared those four to come back to hurt her and then kill her. Back in the hospital, she had demanded in a silent outburst of rage and frustration, but probably she regretted even telling the slightest detail of the incident to the officer.

She didn't want anybody else to know about it because of her fear.

She was scared.

Her sobs lessened as she regained control of her self. Yoh glanced at her and dared to put a hand on her shoulder. Anna looked at him and jerked, but seeing that he was not going to harm her, she allowed this contact.

"Anna" her whispered, hiding his rage behind a soft glance "You know… sometimes is Ok to cry" Anna shook her head, unable to speak at the moment. It was true that she wanted to cry, but she didn't want to "Crying does not make you weak. It is just a way to let the pain out. Sometimes, when the burden is too big, crying helps a lot" she let out a small sob, but then went silent again "You're just trying to be strong for me, aren't you? You always keep things in. It is time to let something so big out. It's Ok to cry…"

Her shoulders trembled just slightly, and then convulsive sobs escaped her throat. She cried. In front of him she cried. Not caring if she seemed weak or stupid. She was in pain. She only wanted to cry. That was all. Yoh approached her and hugged her softly, with deep care. She didn't seem to mind.

"It hurt so much…" she said, sobbing.

Her nails dug in his chest and shoulders as her need for protection and concern grew bigger. Yoh had never liked seeing someone cry. He never knew what to do in that kind of situations, when someone is so weak and needs support. He never did anything. And that was what he was doing. Anything. Hold her close, show his concern with his supportive silence, and let her cry. If she wanted to talk, she would tell him in time. For now, she only wanted relief.

Anna did not contain herself this time. For the first time in her life, she cried freely. It was not an act of weakness. It was just a way to let the pain out. As her cries receded, she moved away, again sitting in front of him, but not touching him. Yoh dared to dry the tears that had wet her cheeks.

"How are you feeling?"

Anna did not answer immediately. It was not a good sensation. A strong headache. Perhaps it was because she had not cried in a long time and was not used to that pulsing in her head. Her eyes… they hurt too. However, that oppression in her chest had disappeared, or at least been reduced by crying.

She felt somehow better.

"… Better"

"You know what? I'll be sleeping in one of the rooms down here, so if you need something, I will come faster"

Anna nodded. Yoh stood up and intended to leave the room.

"Yoh" she suddenly called. He looked at her, blinking a couple of times "Could you… could you let the lights on?"

"Of course" he smiled warmly at her.

Anna opened her mouth to say something else. Yoh waited, patiently. Anna closed her mouthy, then opened it again.

"Perhaps I… need a psychiatrist"

His smile grew even warmer in an attempt of encourage her.

"I will call her in the morning"

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That's all for the third chapter. Hoped you liked and thanks for your patience. If you have any doubts, suggestions or matters regarding the fic, please let me know. It will be a pleasure to listen your commentaries (flames, death wishes and such).

Hope to see ya all soon!

Take care!


	4. The Psychiatrist And The Criminal

**A/N:** Ok, I do have one excuse for this delay. I was WORKING my lame ass off so I could earn some money just to save it! (I know, I'm creepy/weird/odd) I worked in Camping taking care of small children… damm them for being so… childish! Kids are surely cute… when they're asleep! Then I worked as an auxiliary seller, then like a seller… and then I forgot about my lame existence. So, in resume, I couldn't even write a single chapter, touch the computer or work in my book because…

**I WAS WORKING!**

**I WAS WORKING!**

**I WAS F#$¬/G WORKING!**

And school starts in about 2 weeks. I have to study a few things to be prepared. Hopefully, this trimester won't be hard. So I will be able to write a few things… I hope so…

Now, let's stop taking about my nonsense life. Let's start…

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**_The psychiatrist and the criminal_**

The psychiatrist was younger than doctor Ajibana. Perhaps she was 35 or 36, was blond, blue-eyed and short… very short. However, the slight shimmer in her eyes showed no emotion, but a lot of experience as well. She was a professional, no doubt about it.

"Miyasaki Aiko"

"Kyouyama Anna"

She liked that woman at the first glimpse. Her voice was hight-pitched, but fueled by some sort of strength of character. She was smart, she could tell, and her calm tone, which some people would take as a know-it-all tone, denoted a kind of knowledge that could only be obtained from long years of intense study and experience.

And, most importantly, there was no compassion in her eyes. No emotion… at all. To her, it signified that in Aiko prevailed the mind over the emotions. Only strong people could show that attitude.

Oh, yes, she definitely liked her.

"Asakura Yoh" Aiko said with that calm voice of hers "Wait here. Anna, follow me"

Anna did as she was told, and followed her to an annexe room. It was different from the waiting room. The paint was warmer and the only furniture were bookshelves, a chair and the infamous psychiatrist couch

"Have a sit, if you please"

Her voice was now warmer, softer, but still held no trace of emotion. It was just the need to know what she wanted to know… Anna decided she didn't like that new tone. It announced the incoming of unpleasant questions that, eventually, would evoke dark memories of pain and hatred.

She had her seat, and then dared to look around. The walls were barely decorated by a few paintings. Probably, the most remarkable objects in that room were the bookshelves, which were occupied by dozens of books.

"Have you read all those?"

"Most of them" Aiko answered "This is a branch of medicine that is in constant check and change" then, she corrected herself "Medicine is in constant check and change, actually. Once you start studying medicine, you never stop. If you do, you can commit an error and even destroy their hopes of recovering. I have to review to keep that from ever happening"

Aiko took a glimpse of the bookshelves and then sited on the chair in front of Anna.

"Asakura Yoh told me a few things. He just said you wanted help, am I right?"

_"Kind of…"_

"When he tried to explain more, I just hushed him up. I like to hear the problems from my patient's mouth…"

There was that _tone _again. She felt her prusian eyes piercing hers as a strange sensation made her heart stop for a moment. She felt she could not lie to her for some reason, that Aiko would know even if she kept quiet. There was something behind those blue eyes and their dancing lights. She could not tell what it was, but it felt somehow familiar, and at the same time, dangerous.

It was like a buzz in her ears, or a metallic taste in her mouth. She couldn't ignore it, but couldn't put a finger on it… what was that?

There was something different in that woman… She couldn't read her with her reishi, not even read any emotion. When she pressed her ability forward at her, she just read a blank space… Nothing more.

She suddenly didn't like her. Not at all.

For a long hour she sat there, answering her questions, waiting, trying to make her powers work…but nothing. She could even read the emotions of the people outside in the waiting room, or even those waking down the hall.

At last the door opened. She stood up, and left the room. Yoh was outside. She was paler, he noted, and moved her head everywhere, as if she was paranoid again. Aiko left the room, too. Anna's eyes locked on Aiko's body, but the psychiatrist had somehow lost that creepy attitude. The sensation of blankness around her was gone and

"We'll have another appointment next week. Same day, same hour. Please, don't be late… Yoh, I need a word with you before you leave"

Yoh entered the room and took a seat before Aiko offered it.

"So… how was it?"

"Not as good as I would have liked. She didn't speak much. She answered most of my questions, but didn't open herself. As long as she do that, I won't be able to help" she leaned forward "Please, speak to her. She seems to trust you and looks for protection in you. Don't press her to open up. She will, eventually. Sometimes, the best psychiatrists are our loved ones" Yoh nodded. "Good, then… You two live alone, right?"

"Yes…"

"Perhaps it would be good if you invited other people home, especially women. Maybe she will feel more secure then"

"I will talk with her about that"

"Good. Now, I have other patients. Please, leave. Nice meeting you and bye"

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Yoh followed Anna down the street. She was walking faster than usual. From time to time, she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, or at the building they had just left.

He increased the pace to walk by her and tried to start a conversation.

"So, what do you want to eat for dinner?"

"Anything"

"Ok… I was thinking on doing some soup, rice and curry. Something simple…"

"Uh-huh"

That was the longest conversation he could manage to handle walking back home. Anna wasn't an easy talker person, and her communication abilities went down to zero when she was thinking on something important or when something bothered her… He knew there was something new going on her that was getting on her nerves. She had that look on her eyes and bit her lower lip as she walked. It was a nervous habit that didn't appear easily.

Yoh approached her a little.

"Something is bothering you, I can tell"

"It's nothing"

"Does it have to do with Aiko? Don't you like her?"

"… There's something wrong with her"

"Like what?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, doctor Ajibana recommended her, but I can find another psychiatrist if you want…"

Anna didn't answer, as usual. She let her thoughts wander, her brain tried to find the connection between that sensation of blankness around Aiko and her powers uselessness when it came to the psychiatrist. The sensation was surely familiar, she knew it from somewhere, but didn't remember from where it was.

Now that there where far of the building, she decided she didn't want another psychiatrist. Not because she had liked Aiko, but because she wanted to find more about her.

"No"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes"

"Ok… let's walk faster. It's getting dark already"

The house was silent. Not even ghosts were out pulling pranks or wandering around. Amidamaru was there, of course, guarding the house as he was told. He could not be happier to see his master again.

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**3 weeks later**

Yoh took a glimpse of Anna and sighed. She was playing with the food again. She was not eating well lately. Her usually big appetite had almost disappeared, and now she only ate exactly what she needed or less. That was a small amount of food. She had spent the past weeks in the living room that was now her own space, thinking and pacing around like a sheltered creature. Yoh would listen her speak alone when awake and while dreaming, too. Dark words escaped her mouth day and night.

A small bird broke the silence of the night. Yoh swallowed the food and dared to speak.

"You're not eating… Don't you like the food?"

She didn't even answer. Her eyes were roaming along the table and never straying from it. She was thinking. In what? He could not determine it precisely, but had plenty of reasons to have ideas.

"Aiko told me you don't wanna speak to her"

"She has something wrong"

"What?"

"I told you already" she responded in an irritated way "I don't know"

"If you don't like her…"

"I won't find another person until I know what is wrong with her…"

Yoh hushed himself. It wasn't a good idea to press her too much. She would just get mad and stand up without eating enough. She had never been a "Miss Sympathy" kind of woman, but now her mood was unstable, and usually tended towards negative emotions due to the lack of sleep, the nightmares and her small appetite. Yoh knew she tried hard to sleep, but failed often and did not rested much.

She was like a completely different person.

Anna jumped slightly when the phone rang. It had been sudden and it was not a sound they would hear usually. Not like Yoh was completely antisocial, but he preferred to hang out outside and face to face than talk on the phone. And Anna was not the most talkative person, except when it came to potential clients.

Yoh picked up the phone after the second ring. His face was serious from the beginning, but when a few seconds passed, his expression became dark. He turned to her.

"It's the police. They want to speak with you"

Anna stood up and took the phone. It was not the first time they called her, or she called them. The police had discovered very little. The criminals don't appear easily. Even if the victim gives tons of proofs, it won't make them appear mystically from the depths of the night they call their home… or workplace.

Anna knew from the beginning they wouldn't catch them soon. It was not a pessimist thought, but a realist one. Still, each call gave her some kind of hope, even if they found little information or got the wrong guys for her to identify. She couldn't help it. It was a natural reaction.

"Yes?"

"Kyouyama Anna?"

She recognised the voice as the police agent in charge of her case.

"Yes. Yamada Hiro, right?"

"Yes. Look, I think we've caught them know. At least three of them, I think"

"You are sure now?"

"We caught five guys causing trouble in a store near the industrial sector. Three of them coincided with the descriptions you gave. The scar on the redhead's right eye is better than a print"

"I see…"

"We will run some test on all of them to be sure the other two don't have anything to do with this case. I'm certain they will be negative, but you know, just to be sure… I need you to come around to identify them, as well"

"I understand"

"Good. In an hour is Ok?"

"Yes"

"Ok. See you soon"

Anna hung up without saying goodbye. She had forgotten her manners right now. She couldn't describe the sensation coming from the pit of her stomach, but it was getting on her nerves… it was anxiety, probably, and also some kind of sick excitement. She was not expecting Hiro to actually find the bastards. She actually did thought the police would never find them… but hell, this was too damm good to be assimilated so quickly.

She leaned forward and pressed her hands on the table where the phone rested. The hair hid her expression to Yoh, who was waiting expectantly.

"What did they said" he finally asked

Anna took her moment to answer him. One long moment.

"Hiro thinks he caught _them_" she whispered slowly "He wants to meet me in an hour from now"

Yoh also took his moment to react.

"I'm gonna get changed and turn the car on…"

Anna nodded and stood straight. She needed a change too. She was not going out wearing a yukata. She quickly went upstairs. Now that her leg was fine, she didn't need to sleep in the living room anymore. It was better that way. She felt somehow better in her room. Perhaps it was because it was her space in the house, the only place for her to do whatever she wanted to do. She felt _safer…_ yes, that was the word. _Safer, _or almost safe

She put on jeans and a sweater. She was not wearing dresses anymore, but she did not stop wearing her red bandana. Finally, she placed her beads around her neck. Now she was ready… but her body felt… weak for some reason. She was feeling different. Not scared, no… but certainly anxious to the point of being bothersome.

"I can do it… They will put them in room and I will see them from behind a mirror"

Yoh had turned the car on already. She could hear it roaring, and she also felt Yoh pacing downstairs, waiting for her.

_"Better to go already"_

She walked quickly and firmly towards the stairs, down them and along the hall. Yoh followed her when she passed and left without a signal or noise. Both got inside the car, and the young shaman started driving.

Anna was looking outside through the glass, her head leaning towards the city scenery… She had sure seen more beautiful places. Back when she had traveled to America, its vast and lonely landscapes had pleased her enough to declare them just plain beautiful. Be woods, river, sea or dessert, the calm winds brought her peace of mind, and traveling in a group that could be considered small to any population, her powers could be kept at minimum. That brought her peace of heart, too.

Tokyo was not like that.

It was like other human populated cities: enormous, active, and unpleasant to those who preferred nature. Tokyo's buildings raised high, so high that only small remnants of a starless sky could be seen. For her, it was like some sign of hopelessness compared to the vast firmaments of the wilderness, and the city's inhabitants, making their lives beneath those dark skies, bombarded her being with painful thoughts and poisoned feelings. That's why she could never approach to the center of the city. She was certain it would kill her.

The streets were silent. It was not late, but being an executive zone of the city, it was more active during daylight. They rushed inside the station. Anna wrinkled her nose once inside… Two of her most hated places to be were the hospitals and the police stations. Behind their walls they held sick persons.

People in the hospitals were sick. Their bodies were, and their minds got sick eventually. That pained her… And the police stations were not better. The criminals in there were sick, too, or if they were straight, at least they were thinking in unnamable things… If being in a police station was so unpleasant for her, she didn't want to think about the jails.

Hiro was waiting for them behind his desk. He stood up and offered his hand as a formal gesture. Yoh shook it instead of Anna.

"You are sure it's them?"

That was the first thing she said.

"Pretty much" he answered "As I said, one of them is redhead, has blue eyes and a long scar across his right eye. That's not common"

Anna nodded.

"You want me to identify them?"

"Yes, that would help a lot in the court. We've the room prepared already. We're just waiting for you"

"Let's go"

Yoh had noted her energy. She looked alert, fully awoken. He could tell she was anxious, or maybe nervous. Nobody could blame her for that. It sure was hard for her to see the faces of those that had hurt her so badly and for him as well. For many days and nights he had sworn to punch those faces he had not seen. Anna didn't know, but sometimes he sneaked outside the inn and went to the spot described by her with the hope of catching them. Of course, he never saw anything but a dark alley.

He didn't do that often because he feared she would wake up from a nightmare and not finding him. She would surely panic…

The room was almost like the one in the movies. It was divided by a wall and an enormous window with that special glass. She knew they wouldn't be able to see her, but just by seeing them she felt unsafe.

An officer gave an order, and the prisoners came in. She held her breath and studied each carefully. Five men were aligned there. Two of them were tan, but their faces weren't familiar. The other three were. One was black haired with blue eyes, the other blonde and finally, the redhead. The tan one was missing.

"Do you recognize them?"

"Number one, four and five"

"His names are Hojo Takeshi, Hattori Daisuke, and Kondo Tetsu, respectively"

Tetsu was less tall than the other two, but she knew he was the sickest of them, and probably the leader. She looked into those cold, blue eyes and wondered what was he thinking. She couldn't hear his thoughts, but part of her reishi was still intact and gave her an idea about others emotions.

She focused on him and pushed her powers to him. His head suddenly turned, his eyes scanning the glass up and down, until they were on her. Anna blinked.

"He knows I'm here"

"No, he can't see you…"

But his eyes were fixed in there, looking at her through the glass… Or was he just staring at his own reflection? She sighed, and focused again. His eyes did not move from that spot in the glass. She pressed… but didn't get a single feeling. Anna stopped breathing for a second and pressed harder…Blankness…

She paled. There was it again. A buzz in her ears and a metallic taste in her mouth, but she couldn't identify it. It was familiar, but from where?

_"I felt the same when I tried to read Aiko"_

But how? What was the relation between Tetsu and Aiko? And from where was that unpleasant sensation? Why couldn't she read them, when she could read everyone else? Why were they _special_?

_Miyasaki Aiko._

_Kondo Tetsu._

_A buzz in her ears._

_A metallic taste in her mouth._

_A familiar sensation._

His lips made a gesture of… fun? He was smiling… What was he having fun at? He had been caught and was about to go to jail. He was sick. Only a sick _person _could make fun of this situation. Then he said something. She couldn't hear him and he probably was not making sound at all, but he said it so slowly she could read his lips.

_Sakura. _That's what he said. The name she had given him on that night.

"_He knows I'm here!… He can't see me, but he knows"_

His face returned to normal before anyone could notice, but his eyes stayed there. Anna paled even more, not being able to find a reasonable explanation for that buzz in her ears. Her powers were damaged, but if she could read everyone, why were those two escaping her abilities?

_Miyasaki Aiko…_

_Kondo Tetsu…_

_Miyasaki Aiko…_

_Kondo Tetsu…_

_Miyasaki Aiko…_

_Kondo Tetsu…_

_Asakura Hao…_

_Click._

Suddenly she felt her legs go weak and her mind go numb. Her breath was caught in her throat when his lips curved into that mocking smile again. He was having fun of her, even if he couldn't see her, and she knew why. The answer had been there, in front of her nose from the very moment she met Aiko, but she hadn't seen it, she hadn't focused enough on the matter.

Now she had seen it. She knew.

_"Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God…"_

Yoh finally noted her paleness and her tremors.

"Are you OK? You have seen them already and identified them. We can go…"

Anna nodded slowly. Hiro opened the door for them to leave and gave the order to retire the prisoners to a cell. She walked fast towards the exit, knowing that Yoh was behind her. Once outside, she got inside the car, put the safety belt on and waited for Yoh to turn the vehicle on.

"Take me to Aiko's. I want to speak to her…"

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I hope I was't too obvious or too stressing in this one. If you guess what Anna had found, please don't say it in the reviews. It will ruin my fun…

Everything will be answered on the next chapter. I think I will update in a couple of weeks. School has started, but it's not so hard to find a little time to write.

For my friends on FF, sorry for not writing reviews. As I explained above, I was working. I will read your stories ASAP and even write reviews. This is why I don't like being out so long…

See you in the next chapter.


	5. Behind Dark Eyes

Another update. I'm kinda depressed on this one. Yesterday I was told this is the last year I will be able to do a Cambridge test. This is because it will be the last one. There will be no more Cambridge tests in Venezuela due to the political, economical and security problems. Venezuela's condition right now it's not as good as it should be. In fact, it's really bad. Many people started to immigrate years ago to prevent this. The president has been maneuvering to concentrate all the power on him, but hasn't done anything for the country yet. Economics are crushing, politics are unstable and the security can't be worse. Here die more people per week than in the Vietnam War, and we're not even at war, for God's sake!

This is why this will be my last chance. It's very important to me, because a teacher told me once I was good enough and she made me promise I would get an FCE. It was like a joke back then, but when she died I wanted to fulfill that promise. I want to get an FCE, which is a very hard test for someone that isn't a native English speaker. However, even if my writing is good enough, my talking is just a disaster. Besides, a minimum of 8 people per test is required and if I register for the FCE, I may be risking my last chance if no enough people register for that test.

So I don't know what to do exactly. The deadline for registering is on Wednesday. I don't want to fail my teacher and myself just because of my insecurity.

This is when I wanna scream: GOD DAMNIT!

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**Behind Blue Eyes**

"Drive faster, damnit!"

Yoh jumped slightly and pressed the accelerator a little more. The car response was a loud complaint of its old motor as its parts made some effort to increase the speed. They were about to reach the legal limit…

"I can't go faster…"

Anna let escape a molested huff as her fingers tapped her crossed arms impatiently. The reason of her impatience? None he could guess, but it had somehow gotten into her and provoked unusual reactions: impatience, anger, irritability, and in enough quantities to make her curse and speak improperly. This does not happen usually. She could think she was the absolute master and treat everybody like slaves, but she was trained by Kino to be a well mannered woman, worthy of the title of Asakura bride.

"Shit, shit, shit…"she chanted

Hell would be freezing right about now…

"Calm down" he stuttered "we're almost there"

Anna growled. She was almost going neurotic on him. How not to be? It had been right there the whole time… why she didn't felt the presence of the redhead in that dark alley, when such intentions would never escape her powers; why she couldn't read him… and why she couldn't read Aiko. Now she knew, and she was going to have her answers even if she had to break the door of the office and torture her to get them.

Anna jumped off the car before Yoh even parked. He yelled at her, but she ignored him and entered the building, small compared to the ones surrounding it. She pressed the button of the elevator many times, as if that would make it get down faster… When it did, she got inside, pressed the fifth floor and waited there.

She already knew the way. After six appointments she knew exactly where Aiko was, the only difference was that this time she was almost running towards the office and it was not precisely due to happiness…

The itako caught Aiko leaving her workplace.

_"Just in time…"_

"Anna" Aiko said "A pleasure to see you. What can I do for you?"

Suddenly, Anna felt smaller under the gaze of those prusian eyes. She managed to hold her composure, tough, and say with an even tone that equaled Aiko's

"You know _what _I am"

Aiko's expressions suddenly changed. Her eyes sharpened and acquired a different shade of blue, the lines of her jaw and cheeks got tense, and her skin paled just slightly. Anna noticed this reaction, so she took her supposition as utterly truthful. She had not been wrong…

"Tell me everything"

It had not been a request, but a demand. The itako now stood taller than Aiko, her back straight and her shoulder showing her natural dignity, the one she had lost weeks ago. Aiko noticed and smiled with an air of superiority. Anna did not know why she had smiled, but she didn't like it.

"You should at least show some respect if you want to obtain something" she commented with that know-it-all tone of hers "Didn't old Kino taught you some respect for the others, or where you a bad apprentice?"

Those words got on her nerves. Oh, sure they did. The insult towards Kino-sensei was subtle, no doubt, but the one towards her was more like a direct provocation. She didn't like to be talked like that. And secondly, she had never told Aiko about Kino-sensei.

There it was. Another reishi, just like her, just like Tetsu…

"Kino-sensei was a good teacher"

"Not good enough, it seems" Aiko provoked again. She grabbed the keys of her office from her pocket "I think it was you"

She opened the door and entered the room. The lights were turned on. Anna waited outside for a moment, and then she entered too. Again, Aiko smiled.

"See? That's what I'm talking about. You didn't even waited for me to invite you in"

"I did not come here to get manners lessons. I want some answers"

"Well… shoot and see if I can answer"

"Three weeks ago, when… well, you know. When I went in that dark alley and suddenly they appeared, I couldn't read them. Now that I remember, I couldn't catch a single thought from them. Not even when they were touching me. I tough it was the fear, until the sensation repeated when I met you…"

Aiko was preparing tea. She served herself and Anna, gave her a mug and then took a long sip.

"So?"

"So?" Anna repeated "It had never happened. The only one I couldn't read until now was Asakura Hao, and that was because he was a reishi, just like me" Anna sat on the couch she had learned to hate during the past weeks "It is logical you are a reishi, too"

"Sorry, but I don't know what you are talking about"

It was Anna's turn to smile.

"Then, why do I see a book about telepathy on that bookshelf"

Aiko stopped pacing for a moment, and then smiled. Observant… and her eyes had to be too damned good. The letters of the title were minuscule.

"It seems I'm not as dumb as you believe. You underestimated me"

"I'm not a reishi, like you or Asakura Hao"Aiko said, slowly "I'm a telepath" she savored her tea for a while"There are three branches of _The Art_, as we call it. Telepathy is the ability of reading and manipulating toughts"

"Manipulating?" Anna repeated, bewildered "You mean you can…"

"… read, erase, copy, paste, block and create thoughts. Quite simple…" Aiko responded. "Just like a computer, but more… sophisticated" she drank another sip of her tea before continuing "There is also empathy, which is quite the same, but with feelings. They're also called healers. They can manipulate the feelings related to certain memories, so it won't be so painful to remember" another sip "And there is reishi. Both abilities combined, but some say reishi is harder to control"

Oh, Anna knew it was hard. She had tried _hard_ to stop reading everyone around her, finding her efforts futile. She tough it was impossible, but now… She had found Aiko. She could be…

"Your sensei? Hell no"

Anna blinked.

"But… but…"

"Sorry, kiddo. I know it's damn hard and stuff, but I'm not interested in taking apprentices. Too many headaches…"

"At least… teach me to block and hide myself from the others as well"

"No"

"I will obey any command you give me"

"No"

"I will work hard"

"Nope"

"I will even do the house chores!"

"Good god, no! To have you cleaning my house and being there 24 hours a day?"

"I… I" Anna stopped, and then said "You know, you would be a terrible psychiatrist if you know you can do something for a patient, but don't do it…"

Aiko thought this for a moment. She took another long sip of her green tea, tasted it for a while, and then swallowed. The younger woman was right in that one. She had done some favors to her patients, but nothing like this… Taking an apprentice and having headaches? She hated apprentices, and she hated headaches… C'mon! Wasn't there a better way to get rid of her without erasing her memories? God knew it would pay toll in her as well, and it was not… _healthy_ to be manipulating minds a lot. Last week she had erased the memories of an abused girl. That was the only thing she used her powers for. Her job.

Why couldn't she erase Anna's mind? Well, because she couldn't. Being a reishi, she had a natural block against intruders. It would take months to erase the last bit of the trauma, and it could cause several damages to both. She preferred other methods…

"Mmm… Fine. I'll teach you blocking and hiding, but anymore" Anna stood with an air of triumph around her "But I don't accept complains. I will go hard on you, clear?"

"Yes…"

There was a knock on the door before it opened. Yoh had finally reached the room. The scene he saw was odd to him, but he felt calmer now. Anna seemed to be relaxed and fine, and perhaps even happy about something… He would ask her later, and if she wanted to she would tell him.

Aiko scolded him. Hard. She said a few things about the privacy of her patients, bad manners and other stuff like that. Yoh left the room much paler than he had entered it, nodded and closed the door. Aiko waited for a moment before asking

"Now… where were we?"

"You'll work hard on me…"

"Ah, yes! Well, it's time to set up some rules" Aiko finished her tea and set the mug on her desk "I'm not teaching you as a favor, you know? I'm expecting to receive something from you. Pain. From now on, you'll behave as a real patient. You'll answer anything I ask you during our appointments. I won't have an apprentice with a shattered mind. Got that?"

"… Yes"

"We'll do some therapies, and if that doesn't work, you'll take Prozac…"

"Prozac?"

"Yeah… you know, happy pills, joy juice… Those"

"I'm not taking medication"

"Another rule. Don't disobey me and don't complain"

"But…"

"Shut up. Wanna learn or not?"

"…Yes…" she said, her jawbone tensing

"Good. Onto the next one: You'll assist Aikido classes on Hombu Dojo"

"Aikido?"

"Aikido will help you understand the principles of the body, and once you've understand them, it will behave as you want it to behave. A strong body is required, so we we'll be running and doing some exercises on Saturdays and Wednesdays at 8 o'clock. If you're late, I will add ten more minutes of running per each minute you delay. Got it?"

Anna was paler now. She swallowed. She was not used to this kind of trainings. Kino had forced her to endure furyokou exercises and stuff, but nothing that involved too much psychical effort… She was suddenly feeling sorry for Yoh… but trainings had worked on him, so they would work on her too. Besides, learning to defend herself psychically rather than just spiritually was surely attracting her attention.

"Got it"

"Good… You'll like Aikido. I mean, it's fun to throw people…"

A minute of silence...

"That's it?"

"What? Want more?"

Anna bit her tongue. Oh, crap.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Don't call me sensei… I prefer you call me _Master_"

"…Master?"

"Wanna-learn-or-not?"

It sounded rather disturbing. She knew it would be hard for her to get used to such a title. It sounded more… possessive.

"Yes, I-**want**-**to**-learn"

"C'mon, then say: Yes, master"

"Yes…"

"Yes what?"

"Yes… _master_"

"Good. Now, that's my student"

"Can I ask why should I call you master?"

"Dunno… I've always liked it. Makes me feel better. Besides, I would feel older if you call me sensei… and you've to get used. I'm superior, so what I say, you do"

Great. Superiority complex…

"Ok, let's check the rules again. Successful appointments or you'll take Prozac, no complaining, disobedience or rebelliousness; lots of exercises on Saturdays and Wednesdays before our lessons, Aikido, and you _gotta_ call me Master. Clear?"

"Yes, _master_"

"Now. First lesson"

_"Finally" _she thought

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Yoh paced in the waiting room. He was curious about what was happening inside the office… but he was too afraid of Aiko (and Anna) to even dare to stick his ear to de door. He didn't know what they were talking about… Perhaps seeing Kondo Tetsu and his gang had affected her more than he thought, and had decided to speak to Aiko? Yeah… _maybe._

He just hoped she would tell him once she got outside. He also cared for her, and if she could speak to a psychiatrist, he wanted to let her know she could speak to him as well. He would listen and try to understand…

And what if she didn't tell him?

……..

……..

He could only pray the Gods the door did not open right now, because he was about to fall into temptation.

"Amidamaru… do you think she would kill me if she knows I'm listening without permission?"

The ghost _shivered _as he said that. Yoh had peeked into her room once or twice…. No, wait, it was twice. Once he had tried to know why she was taking so long in going down, and he had seen her. Naked. The other time was when he tried to repeat the experience... just one little peek of her body… and she had found him thanks to his naughty thoughts. It was a disaster. Anna was madder than she had been ever. More house chores and training came for him as a punishment, and if he was two meters close to her, she would beat him to a pulp, too. That wasn't nice…

Yoh hadn't approached too much since then.

"I think the lady will"

Surely Yoh had learned his lesson. He hadn't peeked into her room again. Of course, he would daydream of her pale body and every curve, so perfect in proportion… Just the though of it would make him fly.

He knew Anna wouldn't be naked in that room… and he wasn't going to _peek_, he would just _listen_. There was a big difference. He approached the door, swallowing and hushing his thoughts the best he could. He breathed deeply and stuck his ear against the wooden door. He could listen clearly now.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"We'll begin with some history"

"Ok"

Aiko took a couple of books from her bookshelves. Both looked recent, but not too much. Perhaps they're a few years old. Aiko opened both on specific pages and started.

"There are many theories that propose how our powers were born. I believe two of them are closer to the reality than the others" she began, slowly and carefully picking her words "The first one proposes that the difference between us and the normal people is in our genetic code, our DNA. We're carriers of certain recessive genes that give us the ability of decoding bioelectrical impulses that are produced by thoughts and emotions. That way we can read others.

Anna nodded. It was … logical, somehow. If some animals could feel bioelectrical impulses of other animals, why couldn't humans? Sharks could… It was hard to believe humans could, actually, but what the hell…

"The second one says it's nothing related to the genes. Some reishis, telepaths, and empaths are not born from families with those abilities. That's a fact" she took a piece of paper "Sometimes it's random. So, this theory suggests that the reishi appeared first. The first reishis were only capable of hearing thoughts and emotions" she drew a line on the paper "But as time passed, they gained new abilities like blocking, invading, and perhaps even manipulating… Until it divided in two branches" she drew two more lines separating from the main one "Telepathy…"she wrote "… and Empathy"

Anna read the paper a few more times.

"It's called evolution" Aiko said "Reishis evolved into telepaths and empaths. That would explain why there are so few Reishis nowadays… and, if you've paid attention, you'll see that the diagnosis that this theory offers for reishis it's not so good"

Yes, she had paid attention and she had noticed that. In terms of evolution, the abilities of telepaths and empaths were more specific and controllable. Reishi's were, in the same terms, less evolved, sophisticated and had certain range of control that couldn't reach the level of it's fully evolved branches.

It meant that Anna could never take full control of her powers. Aiko's teachings could (or not) help her understand how it worked, but there was no guarantee she could even block like Aiko or hide like Tetsu… And yet… there was a small possibility for her Reishi to be evolved enough to learn, for it to be at the very moment before evolution.

She would have to train under Aiko's teachings to find out.

"I bet two hundred yens this won't help you one bit. You're on?"

Anna had never gambled. Ever. She saw the act of betting as a loose of time (and probably money). It reflected weakness, because most of the time those betting were addicted to it. Those addicted to it were week. Simple mathematic relation… However, this one had really angered her, and that was enough to want to prove herself to her… _master. _She was on.

Oh, hell she was.

"Deal"

"Good"

Aiko took a small notebook from the top of her table. She wrote: _Two hundred yens, Kyouyama Anna. _

She wondered if she would really loose or win those yens… it was surely an interesting bet. Not that she had never seen a Reishi, but let's just say this branch of _The Art_ was way too unstable to predict or control… Still, if Anna could learn the blocking, she could surely learn most of other techniques and sublimities of Empathy and Telepathy.

So probably blocking would be the hardest for her to learn. Once she had passed that barrier, her limits would decrease rapidly… She would advantage others if she could, because, after all, Reishi is Empathy and Telepathy combined…

If she ever passed that barrier…

Aiko closed her notebook and placed it on top of her table again.

"Let's stop. Today's lesson is over. Next one will be more… practicin' and less talkin', so be prepared for anything. Ok?"

"Understood"

"Well, you may go… Asakura Yoh is peeking outside, by the way, so you will save many explanations to him"

Anna's eyes went wide. In less than a few fractions of second, se had opened the door to find him in a very compromising position… His expression was way too obvious… Anna's anger was obvious, too. Aiko, on the other hand, was surely enjoying the about-to-be-beaten face Yoh was making and about-to-beat expression on Anna's face. She kinda pitied him. Perhaps she wouldn't hit him, but she would certainly get really mad at him. Maybe yell and such… But not here, no…

"Thanks for everything, _master_" Anna hissed slowly. Her eyes never left Yoh's "I will be here for my lessons on Saturday at 8 o'clock. I will be early"

"Good. I will be waiting for you at the park"

Anna nodded and made a small bow. Now that she was her sensei… well, _master_, she would have to show some respect to her. Yoh received a death glare before she left the door, Yoh bowed to Aiko, before chasing his fiancée down the hall…He was sure Anna was really mad at him…

His attempts of apologizing while walking were ignored by her. Both exited the building silently and got inside the car. Anna just put the seatbelt on and looked outside the window. She was obviously not speaking to him.

He turned the car on and drove home.

"What I did was so bad you don't want to speak to me?"

She didn't answer. Her eyes were locked on the passing buildings.

"I didn't mean to… I know you don't like me to know about your _problems_, but I thought this was important… I wanted to know if you were Ok… I just got worried…"

Her head turned slowly to see him and her lips moved to say something in low tone.

"I know" she said

Yoh kept driving. He had said what he needed to say. Now he just wanted to ask her what was affecting her so badly she needed to talk to Aiko.

"I overheard you two speaking"

Anna nodded

"What did you heard?"

"You're speaking about the Reishi… Why?"

So he had just heard the last part of the conversation. He probably hadn't understood much. She picked her words carefully. What she was going to tell him was both good news and bad, that's why she had preferred him not to know for a while. It would give her enough time to assimilate these facts…

"Back at the police station, I tried to read Tetsu… I couldn't"

Yoh's eyes widened a little. He had never known of someone unreadable to her, except, perhaps, his brother Hao.

"My powers have been failing greatly since the… _incident_. I haven't been able to read thoughts since then. However, I could always detect emotions… The fact that he was avoiding my reishi made me remember that there were only two people that I couldn't read: Hao and Aiko"

Yoh nodded. That's why she had wanted to see the psychiatrist so urgently. Just by what he had heard, he already knew the connection.

"So… Tetsu and Aiko are Reishis, too?"

"No. Aiko is a Telepath. There is a difference. But I don't know what Tetsu is"

Yoh nodded again. A bad new and a good one. Tetsu was a reishi… or a telepath, or whatever he was. On the other hand, Anna had found a sensei… who wanted to be called master… Speaking about disturbing… But that was a good thing. Perhaps she would restore her powers thanks to Aiko and she would learn to use them. He well knew Anna had suffered a lot because of the Reishi. Sometimes she couldn't sleep due to the immense overload of thoughts, and she would wander around the house trying to find a spot where they were less intense. If that didn't worked, she would take enough painkillers to knock her out for a whole day.

That wasn't good for her. He often feared she would get addicted to the pills. To know she had found a sensei and she would probably learn to block those painful thoughts had gotten him happy.

On the other hand, there was the Tetsu factor… and that there was still one of the gang roaming in the city. He would find him if the police didn't… And it would be better for him if the police found him. If he did, he would surely punch him to death… Lucky the other three had been caught already.

If Tetsu was really a reishi, he comprehended why Anna was now desperate to learn how to control her own powers. She didn't want him reading and extracting stuff from her head, especially her fears or important information… like where she lived.

"So… how do you feel?"

Anna blinked a few times and looked at him. She had not expected that question… He had never asked her such a thing.

"Now you're sounding like a psychiatrist" she said irritated

"I… I just wanted to know if you're Ok with this"

"I am. Now, shut up and drive"

Yoh looked at her one last time with hurt eyes before quieting himself up and focusing totally on the road. Anna turned her head towards the window and stared at the buildings again… She somehow felt guilty for this now. She was used to answer him like that and she thought he would react as he always did. However, it seemed that he didn't. She could feel the disgusting taste of pain in her mouth… Perhaps it was because this time he had dared to ask her something very personal with the hopes of knowing how far he could reach… It was not too far, so to speak.

Anna sighed, shifted, and muttered softly.

"I'm not…"

The car was slowed down a bit.

"Could you tell me how are you feeling? I would like to know…"

"I don't know…"

"Is it hard to explain?"

Anna thought for a moment. Her eyes traveled downward to her palms.

"Yes" she finally said.

Yoh nodded. That had always been the problem. She wanted to talk, but didn't know how to. She hadn't learned when she was little.

Human beings are social creatures. Some people say that they don't need anybody. This is false. Everyone always needs somebody to rely on. Although Anna had spent the years of her childhood in company of Kino, she had not developed a talkative kind of relationship with the elder, for her to have other _matters_ to attend. She was isolated from other kids as well.

Due to this Anna had not developed her sociability. She had passed most of her childhood learning how to be an itako and worrying about her reishi, the Onis and the lives they feasted of. Not precisely a happy childhood.

Probably, that was the reason of her silence. She wanted to speak, but didn't find the words. Also, some of the problems Yoh wanted to find about were not small or easy enough to be talked so naturally as he would like. He knew she found it especially difficult to talk about her own emotions or how did she felt. For her it was intimate.

Yoh smiled a bit.

"Let's try something" Anna's head turned more until she was facing him almost completely "I'll ask small questions, and you'll try to answer. If you can't, I'll help you a little. 'K?"

She nodded. Her attention was on him and what he would ask.

"How do you feel?"

"It's… complicated"

"Do you feel anger?"

Her brain started to work as her head lowered a bit, trying to find the traces of that bitter emotion. Yes, there it was. _Anger_.

"Yes"

"Hatred?"

Again she paused to think, and again she found what she was looking for.

"Yes…"

"Fear… towards them?"

"Yes…I didn't want to see them again" she said very slowly.

"And do you fear… me?"

Anna swallowed as her brain worked harder to find this answer.

"… No…. I did feared you back then… But I think I don't fear you right now. I…"

Yoh fel better and stopped asking. Anna seemed to want to keep going alone. That was good enough to him. She was trying hard to keep an _intimate_ conversation going on. Anna's eyes focused on the road, then on the ceiling, and then on her hands. She entwined her fingers and joined her palms together. She was tense, and trying to find the next words correctly.

A fact that bothered her a lot was that she knew what everybody around her was thinking and feeling and she didn't know how in hell to express her worries as they did to their close ones. Trying to do this was hard.

"I… was mad at you _that_ day"

Yoh blinked, not understanding.

"Sometimes… Sometimes I hear what you are thinking… That day you were thinking about me again, and the time you _saw_ me…"

He now knew what she was talking about. Since he had seen her naked, he was having intense dreams and sometimes couldn't help but think about the experience.

"So I got mad at you again… and over trained you" Anna paused and took a deep breath before continuing "You fainted for hours. I got worried and went to the pharmacy. Then _that_ happened"

Yoh didn't say anything. He couldn't find the words….

"I feel gilt…"

He stopped the car when the red light caught his gaze. Then he dared to look at her. She was hiding his face from him and looking to her lap and her joined palms. His eyes caught the gaze of her hand wiping away a single tear with a rough gesture. Of all the things, he didn't expect her to feel guilt… Her reasons were logical (at least for her), but he didn't share that opinion, and he would try to express himself as well.

"It's not your fault… I mean, I shouldn't have peeked. It was natural you would be mad…"

Yes… It was natural, she guessed, but that didn't help much. She still felt guilt.

"But still, I shouldn't have…"

"Perhaps not. Maybe training me like that was a mistake, but walking in a dark alley is not. You have the right to walk wherever you want. And what they did wasn't a mistake either. What they did was wrong, and they did it intentionally. If this is someone's fault, it's theirs, not yours. You cannot punish yourself and feel guilty for that…"

Anna reflected about his words for about two or more minutes. His words had logic, too. The fact that he didn't blame her for this made her feel a little lighter, just as if he had taken a big weight off her shoulders that she didn't know was there.

"And… how do you feel?" she dared to ask after those minutes passed

Yoh also took his time to answer, but not as much as she had taken.

"I feel anger and hatred, too. I hate them for what they did to you"

Anna gulped silently. She feared to ask this, but dared to do so anyway…

"So… don't you hate me, too?"

The green light signaled the time for moving again. He made a turn on the corner. The buildings were less high there and more scarce. They were close to home.

"No, I don't"

Anna's heartbeat went down as she calmed herself. There was a sensation of weight being removed of her shoulders once again. She even stretched rather discreetly. She saw him smile a little when the inn appeared with another turn. The car was sped up. Even though she didn't smile, she was feeling rather good now. Better than she had felt in weeks, in _ages…_

"We'll be fine" he said with a gentle smile

As her eyes caught the silhouette of that smile through the rear-view mirror, she dared to breathe the cool air. That air, the very one she had considered dirty minutes ago, would bring peace to her heart on that starless night.

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Well, hope you've liked it. Even though I was a little late, I did finish it. I feel rather content about this one. I will try to write and update the next one ASAP. See you then!


	6. Hakuna Matata

Sorry about the delay. Actually, I have no excuses. Here is chapter 6. Not precisely my favorite, but has a couple of scenes I liked. Enjoy!

**Hakuna Matata**

"…………"

"………………"

"So…"

"So? We're fucked"

"C'mon! Take us outta here!"

"..."

"Man, you gotta come up with somethin' is we wanna get out!"

"Keep it cool… I haven't come up with something yet. Besides, if you're yelling like that, how the hell am I supposed to think?!"

"This is your freakin' fault in the first place!"

Tetsu opened his eyes and looked the tall man that stood beside the single bed. He looked annoyed… Tetsu had always liked that. It was fun to have people to poke at. That was probably the only thing he liked about jails. Nobody would mess with him, but he could mess with them whenever he wanted. Oh, the sweet power of fear…

"I'm working something out…" Tetsu said very slowly. His pupil went to the right corner of his eyes. He was thinking "I got it"

"Ya got it?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. We have to keep the spoons from each meal. Then we'll start digging to China! We'll be out of the country in a couple of months. What do you think?"

"…"

"…What?"

"Ya're kiddin'…"

"No shit"

"This isn't time for your jokes" the blonde said

"Well, you're right on that one" his pupil moved again "Well, plan B. We can go look for all the pills in this damn building, then put it on your mouth and wait until you die. We're screwed, though. You'll be the only lucky one in this cell" he quipped

A long, heavy sigh was heard. Tetsu smiled to himself. He was almost reaching the boiling point… God, he just loved the boiling point.

"Damnit, Tetsu! Think of somethin'!"

"Chill out, Daisuke. Everything is under control"

"Yeah, right…"

"Are you doubting? I've always gotten our asses out of jail…"

"That was _before_ we got caught. Now we're _inside_ the cell" Takeshi murmured.

"And since I can't break the fucking bars, all we have to do is wait until they get us out"

"Ya think Gonkuro will get us out?"

"Hell, no. To make a plan and rely on him would be disastrous. He will probably go to church, pray, confess and stuff… And then he will pay for his sins. We'll see him in jail soon"

"Then what?"

"We wait"

"Wait?"

"Yeah, wait"

"Dude, if ya don't know, we're stuck in this pile of shit and cops are gonna… Ya're not listening, right?"

"… Hummm? Oh, sorry. Were you speaking to me?"

Daisuke frowned as Tetsu smiled once again… He always fell in his mind games so easily. It was because the black haired man was such a hot-headed person. He usually tried to get Takeshi annoyed. It was more of a challenge, but it would be Daisuke the one falling into his provocations. It was still fun…

He stretched and laid again. He was feeling a little tired already. After a short nap, he should have the answer of this dilemma. Nothing like a good nap to refresh the mind…

"Wake up!" Daisuke yelled at him

"Hummm? What now?"

His annoyance was obvious. He opened his left eye very slowly and looked for Daisuke.

"If this is about the same, you better shut up"

He closed his eye again. There was a long pause, and he contently thought that things had been settled up and very clear. Now that he had gotten rid of the nuisance, he could get some decent sleep…

Or so he thought…

"What the…!"

He met a pair of azure eyes. Daisuke's hands were on his shirt's neck…. There it was. The boiling point.

He had always loved to reach that point. Be a simple prank, a rape or even a murder, the pleasure he felt by doing something that was plainly wrong was almost morbid. To play with the laws of the petty "_society_" was far more pleasant than any other thing he might have tried. In all honesty, the list of the things he HAD NOT tried was rather small… Now he was addicted to it, to play with _society_. He couldn't stop. He really couldn't… He _needed _to keep on. He craved those emotions coming out all swirling towards him. Crimsom anger. Scarlet hatred. Red cruelty… Red, red, red… His favorite color…

"Put me down" he hissed.

"If ya're gonna sit there and act stupid, I'll…"

"You what?"

"I'll kill ya"

"Kill me?" Tetsu put his hands on Daisuke's and pressed. He was not releasing him "Come on, Daisuke. You're the one that's stupid…"

The grip around his neck tightened. Tetsu's look grew sharper. His hands pressed a little more

"I ain't stupid!"

"I'll say it just one-last-time. Let me go"

So many emotions coming towards him. So much anger. So much hatred… Oh, he wanted _it_! He craved _it_! He needed _Red!... _The red of blood!

A tightened punch was risen. There was a loud thud, and then so many more. There was a yell, too, but his mind was only paying attention to the red spilling all over the floor. The droplets of blood coming from Daisuke's mouth made such a delightful sound. It was like a soft ploc that was getting inside of him, and certainly he was the only one hearing it.

He wanted more…

But he couldn't get it. There was a yell again. He felt many hits and fell to the ground. The tunnel vision receded. The adrenaline stopped running. He licked his lips and savored the metallic taste of blood. His own blood. He turned his head… Had he hurt Daisuke so badly? Oh, why couldn't he just take it like a man? Yeah, he had broken his nose… but hey, that had a fix… Another punch in the right point and he would be as good as new.

He was handcuffed again, he noticed. A cop was asking him something… Well, yelling, to be more precise. Takeshi was also trying to get his attention.

"What?" he said to Takeshi "You saw that. He started it"

Takeshi's eyes went blank. Unlike Daisuke, he had been Tetsu's partner for a long time. He knew what happened when someone stupid enough challenged him or dared to touch him. He also was aware of Tetsu's… instability when it came to these situations. One minute he could be joking, the other one he could be punching, and after that he would act as a child that just knows he will be scolded by his angry mother.

The cops were talking. Their words were unintelligible to him, as if they were speaking in code to keep him from knowing. He knew it was the adrenaline still rushing through his veins. It would take a while until it wore off.

The endorphins were also kicking in. He felt good after the short fight and somewhat tired too. He said something that just Takeshi could understand.

"Ell'em… M… leepy…"

"Ok. I'll tell them. Sleep"

The cops stopped talking when they heard a loud snore… Right there, handcuffed and over the stained floor, Kondo Tetsu had fallen sleep. Takeshi nodded slightly and smiled. In the end, that was all he had wanted. After having his sleep, he would know what to do.

(--)

At the very same moment Tetsu fell asleep in jail, Anna was thinking on him… She didn't know exactly how she felt. Even after the conversation wit Yoh, there were still some bothersome mysteries floating around her head.

She shifted in her futon. How did she feel? It was complicated. She feared Tetsu, but was also thankful (and almost happy) to have found about Aiko's secrets. Now she could learn Reishi properly. If she hadn't misunderstood Aiko, she could even learn to fight wit this ability. It made sense to her. Mind exerted control over the body.

She was also worried about the legal processes coming. Of course, she had always liked the kind of movies with some legal judgments involved, but she never thought she would be the protagonist of her own. She didn't feel attraction to the possibility of being watched by a whole crowd during a court case. She had never liked too much attention, anyways.

She breathed deeply, held her breath for a while and then exhaled. Tonight was cooler than last night and more silent. It was mid autumn already. The air had gotten drier and colder. Soon there would be snow everywhere.

Winter was nice. Everything was so quiet and peaceful… However, it also meant that Yoh's friends would come soon to what they called "Annual Reunion". For a whole month, the inn would be crowded with the very same persons that went to the Shaman tournament with Yoh. Secretly she liked the meeting. Even though Yoh's friends were stupid (except, perhaps, Tao Ren), the feelings that came from them were soothing. It was pure happiness and joy. It was nice to feel those things from time to time.

Yoh called her for supper. He had served the food and was waiting for her to join him at the table, so she took her place and ate silently. When he finished his second dish he noted, sadly, that her first was almost full. She was just faking again. She had regained some of her old self, but not her appetite.

"Don't you like it?"

Anna shrugged her shoulders.

"It's fine"

"Then, what is it?"

"I'm not hungry" she set the dish aside "That's all"

"You really should…"

"Don't start"

Yoh decided it was best to just shut up… like he always did. Anna would just get mad if he insisted. He had even gotten better at cooking in an attempt to make her eat, but it was no use. It was like she didn't need food anymore. He did not know how she was standing. The nutrients shortfall surely was going to affect her body badly if this continued.

"Your _friends_ are coming soon, right?"

"Yeah… I guess"

"… You have no idea when are they coming.." Yoh nodded and smile sheepishly "Just as I thought"

"Hey, Hakuna Matata"

Anna blinked. Yoh opened his mouth in shock.

"You… You don't know what Hakuna Matata is?

She shook her head and raised an eyebrow. She had never heard that word. It was certainly not Japanese, Chinese or English. She didn't recognize the sound in all the vocabulary of the three languages she knew well. Perhaps it was Arabic or something like that.

She found herself annoyed at the uncertainty. She had always been good at words, even if she did not speak much. Books had always helped her vocabulary to grow consistently compared to most people. Anna was confident enough to say her speaking could only be matched with the elderly.

It was a little embarrassing that he knew a word that she didn't.

"Well, what does it mean?"

Yoh shook his head solemnly

"I cannot explain it myself" he said "But I know two creatures that can. Follow me"

_Ridiculous, _was the second word she thought. The first one was _fuck off. _But when she saw he was serious and was asking her to move to the living, she could not help but wonder what Hakuna Matata was. She followed him and sat where he told her, in front of the TV. He looked for something in the box where all his movies rested… What kind of movie was he looking for? Some kind of documental?

No, impossible. The best thing Yoh could do during a documental was sleep, not learn. Surely it was not something related to science…

Yoh put the movie and pressed play.

"This can't be…"

"A Walt Disney movie? Yeah"

Anna motioned to leave.

"No, wait! It's good!"

"It's for small children, Yoh"

"But the plot it's so good! It is one of Disney's masterpieces! No child has ever skipped The Lion King!"

"I did"

"Exactly! We gotta recover your lost childhood!"

"Lost childhood? Ok, that's enough"

Yoh stopped the movie, kneeled and whined like a child. Anna left the room, but as soon as she did he followed her closely. He was begging, but she was good at ignoring him.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase? I swear, if you don't like it, I will do whatever you want"

"I don't need to see a stupid movie to actually make you do _anything_ I want"

"C'mon! You got nothing to lose!"

His hand gripped hers. She yelped and immediately retrieved her it with a sharp movement. He blinked as realization hit his head. He had never, ever, dared to touch her in any way. Come to think of it, he had always been afraid of it… And now he had dared to touch her as if they where… something like close friends?.

She was surprised, too. Not scared… No, fear was not the right word. However, she had not yet decided if that little contact was of her linking or not. Most touches they'd shared were accidental or impulsive, and always started by her. This was the first time she thought of Yoh as her _fiancé_. Her whole life (or at least half of it) she had been repeating: I am going to be the Shaman King's wife, or I will be the one to marry Asakura Yoh… However, it was the first time she noted than being engaged was more serious than just dating. Nevertheless, she had never thought of actually… doing something that involved more psychical contact.

Almost ten years engaged and they had not shared they first kiss yet.

Yoh was thinking that, and did not know what to do, if that was the precise moment. Her eyes were locked on his with some sort of nervous glint behind them. She was shaking softly, but he was certain it was not the cold air in the room… Should he make his move or let things just as they were?

Anna blinked and looked down…

Perhaps it was not the right time yet. Maybe he should wait a little longer until he was certain. A few years ago he would be too scared of a slap to approach her. Now he just feared she would reject him or fear him for trying to intimate.

"I'm sorry"

She nodded. The tremble around her shoulders receded a little.

"Please, would you watch the movie with me?"

Anna didn't think a lot this time. She followed him back to the living, sat down and waited for him to play the old cassette again. Yoh took his place at her side, but with some distance between them.

From the day we arrive on the planet  
And, blinking, step into the sun  
There's more to see than can ever be seen  
More to do than can ever be done  
There's far too much to take in here  
More to find than can ever be found  
But the sun rolling high  
Through the sapphire sky  
Keeps great and small on the endless round  
It's the Circle of Life

Anna found herself delighted at the opening music and the animations. The images were wonderfully detailed. It was nice… Childish, but nice.

And it moves us all  
Through despair and hope  
Through faith and love  
Till we find our place  
On the path unwinding  
In the Circle  
The Circle of Life

Yoh turned to her.

"See? It's good!"

She just shrugged her shoulders and kept watching. She would decide if it was good or not at the end of the movie… It was not necessary. She found the plot to be actually interesting, and not as childish as she thought it would be. At first, Scar reminded her of the Cain's story, the man who murdered his brother blinded by his own grudges. She was saddened when Mufasa died, but not sad enough to cry… Yoh did.

"How can you not cry at a moment like this?! Scar just killed Mufasa and Simba is an orphan!"

"He still has his mother"

Yoh sobbed.

"J-just wait and see"

About ten minutes later, Simba met Timon and Pumbaa. Anna finally reminded the reason why she had started watching the movie at first place. The song was… sticky.

Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase

Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze

It means no worries for the rest of your days

It's our problem-free philosophy

Hakuna Matata!

Hakuna Matata?

Yeah. It's our motto!

What's a motto?

Nothing. What's a-motto with you?

Those two words will solve all your problems

That's right. Take Pumbaa here

Why, when he was a young warthog...

When I was a young wart hog

Very nice

Thanks

He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal

He could clear the savannah after every meal

I'm a sensitive soul though I seem thick-skinned

And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind

And oh, the shame (He was ashamed)

Thought of changin' my name(What's in a name?)

And I got downhearted (How did ya feel?)

Everytime that I...

Hey! Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!

Oh. Sorry

Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase

Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze

It means no worries for the rest of your days

It's our problem-free philosophy

Hakuna Matata!

Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!

Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!

Hakuna Matata! Hakuna matata!

Hakuna Matata! Hakuna--

It means no worries for the rest of your days

It's our problem-free philosophy

Hakuna Matata!

I say "Hakuna"

I say "Matata"

"And that means Hakuna Matata"

"I heard the song, thank you"

Anna shifted. Yoh hugged his knees and hit them repeatedly with his fingers. He shot a couple of glimpses at her… She was shaking again.

"Anna, what's the matter? You're trembling…"

"I'm cold"

He knew she was lying. She had answered too quickly. Yet, he was kind enough to go for one of his jackets and put it around her shoulders without touching her.

"Thank you" she murmured.

Yoh sat again. She had stopped trembling now, or maybe the jacket was too thick to let him perceive her tremors.

They continued watching the movie in silence. Anna was partially focused on it. Half of her brain was still thinking on the brief contact in the hall: his soft, yet firm grip, his intense glare and his shaking hands… She had never been a subject of his deep contemplation. Not that she had noted, in any case.

She couldn't say she didn't like it. She was not sure of that yet. She was not _used_. That was probably the right way to describe it.

There's a calm surrender to the rush of day  
When the heat of the rolling world can be turned away  
An enchanted moment, and it sees me through  
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you

She felt a soft brush on her right hand. A shudder went up and down her spine. Yoh saw this, but did not know if it was a rejection or just a nervous reaction. He held his hand still or a moment, waiting for her to move, but she didn't. He took it as a passive acceptance, and then brushed the side of her hand with his own. Both went silent for a moment that prolonged even after the movie ended.

"So… did you like it?"

"It's not as bad as I expected it to be"

He knew that meant she had liked it.

"So, what if we watch all Disney movies from now on?"

"All of them?"

"Yeah, all. We have to recover your childhood!" He turned to her "We can watch any other movie right now, if you want to"

Anna watched the wall clock, thinking it was late already. The idea was surely tempting, though. His hand was warm on hers and his eyes were begging for her to stay… Half of her soul wanted to go away, to leave him there alluding the late hour. She feared what might happen if she stayed. She knew that watching a movie was an excuse. He just wanted to spend more time with her, in absolute silence, and maybe try luck. That was precisely the matter upsetting her, because she felt the other half of her soul pulsing with pure need… It was not sexual need or lust, but tainted her mind heavily with the sensation of his warm hands stroking hers… moving up her arm, around her back, caressing her neck and cupping her cheek.

She sighed, but did not dare to hold his intense gaze. His hand was trembling on her cheek, and so warm. His other hand was surely eager to touch her.

"Anna" he called, gently.

She dared to look up and hold his gaze. The emotions coming from him… So estrange, so new, and soothing in a rather curious manner. He leaned forward, feeling her tremble, and saw with disappointment how she closed her eyes shut and turned her head. Yoh released her immediately.

"I'm… sorry…"

"I can't…"

"I know… I know it's too soon… I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have tried to…" he glanced over her "Are you ok?

She nodded, so slowly. She wasn't sure herself, actually. His attempts of getting closer to her had shocked both of them. She withdrew her hand from Yoh's. The sensation was too disturbing and generated both hope and fear.

"I… I'm not ready" she mused.

Yoh nodded.

"Do you want to talk?"

Yoh couldn't help but feel rejected when she shook her head. Yet, he forced a tense smiled. Anna noticed his fake expression and swallowed.

"I am tired"

"Yeah, me too"

They both stood up. Anna didn't need help walking now. Her leg was almost as good as new, even if sometimes it hurt a little. She wasn't going to say that out loud, though.

"Uh… Anna?"

"Yes?"

"I…"

"I know, I know…"

"No, I was going to say, I really would like to see another movie with you… Any movie"

Anna suppressed the need of giving him a small smile.

"Disney movies are fine to me"

Yoh's face lit with the purest joy. He smiled warmly at her, but she looked away feeling sudden embarrassment. She really needed to get to her futon and think about this.

"Anna?"

"Mmm?"

"… I know that right now you don't want to talk… but if you need, you can talk to me anytime, 'K?"

She nodded her head softly. His words had soothed her somehow.

"Good night" she said, before leaving to the living room.

"Night"

She installed on the futon, spread in all her length. She felt her cheeks warm, especially the one he had touched. She could remember exactly where he had touched her. She still felt traces of his gentle caresses on her hand, arm, neck and face, as if he were touching her in that precise moment. She shifted and swallowed, suddenly unsure of what to think.

"_He… he was so… gentle"_

Yes, gentle was the word. He had been insistent, but not rough… She had not felt any pain with his hands on her skin, even if she had been scared of what might have happened next. She had never thought of Yoh touching her in such ways. He was not a brave person outside the battlefield, but he had dared to ask, oh, so gently, for her approval, for more closeness.

She had rejected him. True. How not to when he had taken her by surprise and something so… awful had happened a few weeks earlier? But… maybe soon, she would dare to accept the contact that for some people was so easy. She blushed.

_"It's not a rejection… it's later… I'm so sorry, Yoh"_

(--)

Ok, that's chapter 6. A little short. I will upload chapter 7 in 2 weeks or so. Take care!

If you have any suggestions, feel fry to review or send me a private message.


	7. Annual Reunion

**Hello! A reviewer suggested me to get a Beta Reader and I think he's right. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I'll always make mistakes and I want to give you a good quality fic. So, if anyone is interested in reading the upcoming chapters prior to the publishing, please send me a private message. If you know anybody that I good at grammar and critics, please let me know. Thanks!**

**Elearthy:** I'm not translating anymore. I began it as a translation, but I really don't like the Spanish version. I began to write it when I was just 14. It has lots of grammar and coherence mistakes, even more than this version, which is curious, because English it's not my native language. In fact, I said I was going to make series of the original, but I feel so dissatisfied with it that I would have to revise it, correct it and then start the series. Maybe I will do it, but it will change the fic a lot. Don't consider this as a translation anymore.

Here is the chapter 7. Joy…

* * *

**Annual Reunion**

Anna woke up with the sound of laugher echoing in the house. She sat up looked around. Yes, laughter. The sound was not unfamiliar, but she had not heard it for a long time. She also heard a few voices speaking loudly. She assumed they were in the kitchen, since she heard them so close. She knew those voices. Somehow, knowing that Yoh's friends were in the house made her panic and feel a little less depressed at the same time.

She stretched and then stood up. A small pain in her ankle made her flinch slightly. The leg that had been useless a few weeks ago was now healed, but it hurt after sleeping for some reason. She paid no attention to it. Today was a special day. It was not that some Yoh's friends had arrived, no. Often, she found them annoying and bothersome, even if sometimes they contributed to keep her entertained with their constants jokes and fights. It wasn´t that. Today would be her first training with Aiko. To say she was excited would be an understatement since she didn't know what to expect, which was contributing to her growing curiosity and anxiousness.

She didn´t even bothered going to the kitchen to eat first, considering that everybody was there. She had already greeted all the guests last night. She was going to change first, and then go to the park to meet Aiko. That was of utmost importance for her.

It was cold outside. Winter would soon start, since it was almost December. She put on something warm and stepped into the kitchen.

"Good Morning" she said to everyone. She sat next to Yoh.

"Good Morning"

"Morning!"

"Breakfast is ready, Anna-sama" said Tamao.

Anna nodded slightly. She forced herself to eat what Tamao had served her whilst looking discreetly at the guests: Ren and Jun were stuck in soft conversation while Tamao and Pirika cleaned the kitchen. Horo and Yoh were laughing at something she didn't catch... not that she could understand their stupid jokes, anyways. Once she finished, she stood up and walked towards the exit.

"I will go with you" Yoh said.

"Where are you two going?" Horo-Horo asked

"We´ll just take a walk" answered his friend.

"Great! I'll go with you!"

Anna jerked.

"No!" The guy stepped back "I don't want **ANY** annoyance. It is enough to have **YOU** here disturbing my peace in this house. If you want to walk, go by yourself"

She stormed out of the Inn. Yoh apologized and went behind her. Nobody said anything for a moment, but this kind of displays was common for them. Everyone started talking soon enough, forgetting about the matter.

Outside, Yoh was walking beside Anna.

"I don't think they're suspicious" he said "You acted really well"

"I wasn't acting. I was serious"

"Oh… Ok"

The park was not too far away, so they decided to walk instead of using the car. Yoh knew she was excited. She wasn't showing any normal trace of excitement at all, but he knew she was. There were some small signs that only he could recognize, like her quick pace and her eyes fixed in some invisible point on the horizon.

They arrived earlier than expected. There was nobody at the sight for the moment, so both sat down on a bench, without touching each other or being too close in any sense. Yoh was shivering already, but Anna was not. Ozoresan, the place where she had been raised until being thirteen years old, was a colder place. Hence she didn't enjoy summer as other people and preferred autumn or spring. She soon noticed Yoh was shaking.

"If you are cold… you can go back. I will wait for Aiko"

"It's Ok. I'm not _that_ cold anyways. I can wait here with you"

Anna appreciated the gesture.

"I recall there was a hot drinks machine nearby"

"Yeah, you're right. I'll go get one"

Anna waited for a couple of minutes for him to come back. He had two drinks instead of one.

"I thought you might be cold, too" he said when he offered a can of hot tea. He had his trademark smile "So I bought you green tea"

Anna blushed slightly.

"Yes, thank you"

Yoh already knew that Anna preferred green tea to hot chocolate. It was her habit to drink plenty of tea. She warmed her hands with the hot can before opening it and taking a small sip. Yoh drank all his chocolate with a few gulps and then he dedicated himself to watch her discreetly. She didn't seem to mind or to even notice, until she turned to face him.

"Clean your lips. They're full of chocolate"

"Oh!" he exclaimed. Then he smiled sheepishly "Sorry"

"Clean them already. It's disgusting"

No, it wasn't disgusting, really. She found it somewhat comical, even if she didn't smiled at all or gave any signal of amusement. That kind of expression had ben supressed a long time ago. She looked towards the road and noticed the figure of Aiko approaching and waving at them.

"Good morning!"

Anna stood up and made a small bow.

"Good morning, _master_"

"Good morning, Aiko-san" said Yoh.

"Morning. Seems you're alive, after all. I thought Anna would smash you good"

Yoh blushed at this, but Aiko only smiled and winked.

"Thanks for taking her here and staying with her. You may go now… No, don't worry, she won't go back alone. I will ride her home. Bye!"

She waited for Yoh to be out of sight. Then she turned to face Anna. Aiko looked her upside down and nodded. She had chosen appropriate clothes for jogging.

"Good to see you're in time… C'mon, let's walk. It's important to warm up before jogging"

"Will we just run today, _master_?" she asked, a little disappointed.

"Just for 15 minutes, since you're an amateur. After that, we'll start with the real thing"

Anna nodded, happy at the moment. She followed Aiko through the park's road. The threes offered a spectacular view. She had always loved autumn. It was definitely her favorite season, probably because of the peace and the colors of the leaves that fell so slowly and softly from the branches. They displayed so many tones: brown, red, scarlet, crimson, orange, yellow, golden, lime… Anna enjoyed it. She let herself withdraw from the real word and turn off her brain for a while. Then Aiko started running, and she had to follow.

Aiko was a fast runner, and so was Anna, but the second woman was not used to exercise often enough. Soon she found herself panting and gasping for air, but her master was concentrated on running, so she did not notice. Not that she wanted her to notice, anyway. She kept up the pace. She wasn't going to show any weakness with Aiko. Not for just a fifteen-minutes run.

Near the end of the run, Anna started to slow down and came to breathe and swallow in a heavy manner. By this time Aiko had noticed. She slowed down too, until they were both walking quickly.

"Let me see your hand"

Anna did not complain and showed Aiko her left wrist. The psychiatrist looked for her pulse and counted silently. The blood was running too quickly beneath her skin. She decided it would be better to stop. She noticed something else when she circled her fingers around the youngest wrist and stared intensely at her apprentice.

"Let's go to my office"

"Now?"

"We'll resume our lesson there"

Anna nodded. She was feeling rather dizzy, but did not complain when Aiko led her to a car parked nearby. She drove them to her building in silence. Anna wanted to ask what else they would do in her office, but preferred not to break the silence. She didn't know Aiko well enough to dare to speak to her or question her about the training.

Once they arrived, Aiko opened the door to her office, waited for Anna to settle in and then locked it.

"Take off that jumper"

Anna blushed furiously and stared at her.

"W-what?"

"You heard me. Take off that jumper… and the shirt"

"_Master_, I don't think this is…"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie. I do like women, but I don't like you."

This revelation made Anna even more uncomfortable. She didn't dare to look Aiko to the eyes now, since she felt herself about to burst in embarrassment, but she regained control when she saw her… _master_ pulling a stethoscope. With trembling fingers she removed the jumper and the shirt she wore underneath it, but kept the bra on. She hadn't gone to a doctor in a long time.

She felt the cold surface of the stethoscope on the skin of her back. She swallowed.

"Good girl. Now, breathe… Good" Anna felt even more ashamed when Aiko moved the stethoscope to her left breast. The psychiatrist was too focused on what she was doing to even notice. Her heart was beating normally now and there were no odd sounds. It sounded fine to her, but she would have her checked properly in a few days for her sake "Just as I thought… Back at the park, your heart was beating faster than usual. It may just be that you're not used to the exercise. I will send you to a more specialized doctor. But I noticed something on my own" She removed the stethoscope and put it around her neck "You're underweight. You haven't been eating properly, have you?"

Anna looked down.

"I… I suppose I haven't… Am I underweight?"

"Yes, nothing alarming at the moment, but you are… I will let it pass now, but I want you to eat properly from now on, understood? I won't teach you unless your body is in good condition… Was I clear?"

"Yes, _master_. I am sorry. I did not notice"

"But that boy, Asakura Yoh, surely did, didn't he?"

Anna blushed and almost slapped herself in front of Aiko… Yoh had tried to make her eat, but she had been stubborn and terribly… selfish, perhaps? She shook her head in denial. Well, yes, she hadn't been eating properly and she had ignored Yoh's good-hearted attempts, but she had too much to think about and she didn't felt herself like eating anyways.

"He loves you in such a tender manner"

Aiko was staring at her intensely. Anna didn't like the way the conversation was turning to.

"I may not be an empath, but I do recognize love when I see it. I can see it, in your memories"

The itako did not refrain herself this time. Her black eyes met Aiko's blue ones with so much coldness that she would have scared her if the older woman weren't looking at her in the same way.

"Who gave you permission to see my mind?"

"Now, now, since when thieves ask for permission?" Aiko replied with that know-it-all tone that the itako hated "Does a murderer have to ask permission before striking?... Or a rapist?"

This made Anna flinch almost unnoticeable. Bad luck the psychiatrist was a perceiving person. A Cheshire smile adorned her face.

"If you don't want someone to peek into that little, frail mind of yours, you'll have to improve your defense. Remember our bet? Well, time to start with some soft exercises, and check out if you can learn this art… or not"

Aiko waited for her apprentice to dress up again, her smile never leaving her lips. She could read Anna's thoughts so easily, and she was so expressive that she could just guess her emotions. Rage was one. It was fine. The more she felt, the better for Aiko. She noticed that the younger woman was stifle, jerky, as if she had problems controlling her own muscles.

"What's wrong, my dear?"

"I'm ready for my lesson, _Master_" she hissed.

"I don't think so. You look kinda… agitated"

"I'm fine" she snorted.

"If you say so…"

The next thing Anna felt was… some kind of pressure. In her head. Such an unpleasant sensation, it sent strong shivers up and down her spine and opened every pore of her skin. She could feel… _hands _around her skull, almost caressing her in a sort of searching way. Aiko's hands… She hadn't moved, but she knew it was her hands trying to pry open her head.

"I'm waiting… What's wrong?" Aiko said "Block me!"

Anna's rage was rapidly turning into confusion.

"I… I…"

"Don't know what to do?"

Anna closed her eyes shut, as if trying to feel and understand that sensation, but she couldn't associate it with anything familiar. She opened her eyes once again.

"I will show you, then"

The pressure around her head got worse… much worse. Soon, all her rage and confusion had turned into the darkest fear and the pressure… it was painful now. She felt her head was about to be crushed. She opened her mouth to say something, to ask her to stop, but her voice was gone. Her body didn't do what she ordered it to do.

_"W-what…?"_

The office disappeared suddenly. She found herself dangling dangerously on the edge of a dark abyss as an uncountable number of images and sounds swirled around her in an incomprehensible disorder… Pain. Oh, God, that pain! She stepped back, trying to get away from the darkness and those images, but she couldn't… she wouldn't… She just fell… She heard so many voices, yelling and speaking to her, so many… People praying, pleading, crying. What…? Who were they? Arms caught her and surrounded her shaken frame. She recognized those arms, that chest, that neck, that face, that red, spiky hair… Oh, God! Those eyes! Those inhuman, blue eyes! And that scar!

"Oh, please, stop!" she cried out.

She was back at the office. The pain was finally gone, but had been replaced by the purest terror. She stumbled back and fell to the floor pathetically. She was crying. How wouldn't she? She had seen him, he was _there…_

She jerked and punched when she felt hands on her shoulders.

"Please…" she whimpered, holding the edges of her shirt. "Please, don't…"

"Shhhh. It's just me, Anna. It's Aiko"

Anna recognized the voice, even if she couldn't see the figure clearly. Her eyes were full with tears, but she saw a small frame instead of Tetsu's strong body and distinguished Aiko's long, golden locks from the criminal's red, spiky hair. She didn't even think what she was doing. She just flung herself at Aiko and cried on her chest like a scared child.

"I-it was… so horrible. Oh, Aiko, I saw him! He was here!"

"Hush, now" Aiko said soothingly "Forget that. He isn't here. He cannot hurt you anymore"

"But… he was here! Right here!"

"No, no. Look at me" Aiko put her hands on the younger woman's shoulders and pushed her "It was just an illusion. Your mind was playing tricks on you"

"B-but… how? I…" Anna's eyes moved round the office, then stared at Aiko with fierce rage "Why did you have to do that! I almost thought it was real!" she stood. So did Aiko "That was unnecessary!"

"I don't think it was… The trials are soon. He will be sitting just a few meters away from you. He won't be able to touch you, but what if he is skilled enough to manipulate the mind… of the judge, for example? Don't give me that face, it would be piece of cake and he doesn't have to be an expert to do it. You said that you weren't capable to read him when you last saw him. He was blocking you. If he can block, then he probably has more tricks under the sleeve. Not only that, he recognized you without looking your face! It sounds to me like he is a telepath, or a reishi, maybe. He could change the judge's thoughts, the jury's, yours… or Yoh's"

Anna gazed at her, apprehensive.

"Do… do you think he is skilled enough?"

"I think so. It's way better to suppose he is, and if he is, he can make you feel even worse than I have"

Anna paled as she sat on the psychiatrist couch and felt her dizziness return. She was shaking, too. Aiko did nothing to soothe her. She just looked how the younger woman ruffling her hair and drying her tears roughly with the back of her hands.

"That's why you have to learn to block your mind… and everyone's around you"

"I could… If you tell me how…"

Aiko sat on her desk and put on her glasses. She just looked like a real teacher now. Anna stared, her eyes were sore and red.

"When you tried to read me, what did you feel?"

"I… It was… like blankness. I couldn't feel you at all. It's like you're not there"

"And that's the problem. You couldn't block me because you're enraged, then confused, and finally frightened. You have to remain calm, create a barrier of nothingness around your mind to keep your thoughts and emotions from being felt or read by somebody else. It may be complicated at first, but it'll get easier in time, with practice and hard work… Let's try again. Tell me when you're ready"

Anna nodded and stood up again. She breathed in slowly, and then let the air down. She had to get her mind in blank… It sounded like meditation. Luckily, she meditated quite often and knew the trick, so she was certain she could block Aiko this time. It took her a few minutes, but she managed to soothe her over stimulated brain and forget about her problems. She didn't even signaled Aiko to start. The psychiatrist started when she noted her calmer. Once again, she pressed her energy forward, towards the younger woman.

"Too weak…"

Anna stumbled and shook her head. She had felt Aiko inside her head again.

"A-again" she stuttered.

Aiko nodded and repeated the technique, feeling her own mind forcing Anna's to rebel against her and fall in tricks of fear.

"… Again"

* * *

Yoh heard Pilika crying. Hard. He saw Horo's body flying out of the window just the moment before he stepped the house. He couldn't suppress a goofy grin at the sight of the kitchen.

"Ren! Why did you have to do that?"

"Oh, don't worry. That brat can handle more"

"Hi guys!"

"Oh, Hi Yoh"

"Did Horo just fly out of the window?"

"Yeah! He did it!" Said Pilika, accusingly pointing Ren.

"He was annoying me"

"Ok, ok. Don't fight guys. Let's keep it down"

Tamao noticed something.

"Em… Yoh-sama, where's Anna-sama?"

"She decided to go shopping, and sent me home"

Everyone believed that lie, but not Ren. Knowing Anna, she would have used Yoh to carry her things, in case she was actually shopping. What was even odder, she had been wearing trousers. He had never seen her wearing trousers, not even in winter. However, he let this pass. His attention was driven towards Horo, who was stomping in the kitchen and challenging him. Yoh was retaining him with all his strength in attempt of avoiding a fight.

"Yoh, let him. I'll smash this insect's head!" he threatened, a glass of milk in his hand.

Of course, the young man didn't let the Ainu free. Anna would kill them all if those two even broke a glass...

"Remember we're guests!"Pirika screamed "Behave!"

Her brother and boyfriend calmed down and sat staring at each other. It couldn't b helped. Their rivalry had increased over the years, especially after Ren became Pirika's boyfriend without telling Horo. To the blue-haired man that was a stab to his back. However, he could do little to nothing to stop them seing each other. He still couldn't bear the fact that they had slept together and refused to let them do their things in the inn. Pirika had to sleep with Tamao. If not, he was vey capable of guardng her room. She had grown up, but she was still his little sister.

"Manta sent me a letter a few days ago" Yoh said cheerfully. He had not seen his little friend in several months since Manta was becoming a skillful bussinessman, just like his father. Yoh still kept the touch with him, tough.

"When will he arrive?"

"Tomorrow night!"

"In two days eveyone should be here"

"Yes!"

"I just hope Chocolove's jokes have gotten better than last year's"

"Man, you know that's impossible. They keep getting worse"

"Hope is the last thing to die" Ren quoted

"Mine died long ago, brother"

"I-I think his jokes are good" ventured Tamao, shyly. Horo looked at her and smiled.

"Well, at least you laugh"

"Flirting already?" inquired Ren with a suggestive rise of his brow.

"I'm not!" Horo said defensively."I JUST THINK IT'S NICE SHE LAUGHS!"

"Here we go again..." Yoh mused.

* * *

"A-again"

"It doesn't matter how many times we repeat this, you're not going to improve"

"Again!"

Aiko rolled her eyes. Poor, stubborn girl, she didn't know what she was doing to herself. Yet, she had not reached her limit, so the psychiatrist consented and watched as Anna stumbled and fell on her knees when the vision replayed in her head. The itako shivered, panted, and took one hand to her mouth.

"Puke on my carpet and you're dead"

Anna was able to calm herself.

"Again…"

"Enough is enough…"

"Please…"

"You are just hurting yourself, can't you see? You won't master this technique in a day after a lifetime of negligence. Even your reishi is failing. You know why? Mmm? Do you think I'm even making efforts to deceive your brain and pull tricks on you? I'm not making up those illusions. You are! Those are the fears of your shattered mind! It doesn't matter how hard you try or how much you push yourself, you won't accomplish anything!"

"Then what do you suggest?!" she yelled.

"You have to heal before you can learn"

Anna almost laughed with pure cynicism.

"Heal? Heal what?"

"Oh, now you're in denial?"

"How to heal this? Huh? Tell me! I will be happy to do it!"

"Oh, you tell me! It's your mind, not mine!"

Anna stood up and approached Aiko, but stopped when she was just inches away. She was taller than the telepath, but she didn't dare to touch her.

"I thought _you're_ the doctor!" she snarled.

"I would be, if _you _behaved like an _actual _patient! You just have to see around you to notice there are people that want to help you, but you just don't_ need_ their help, do you?"

Anna gritted her teeth and felt herself like slapping the shorter woman, but her blue eyes had abandoned the boiling wrath and had adopted some kind of deep… concern, maybe? Yes, not compassion, but concern. She could feel it now. Somehow, it made her feel less and less furious and more… comprehended. The youngest withdrew and sat down with a cold, calculated move as she buried her face in her hands and released a long sigh. She could hear Aiko's footsteps echoing in the room and stopping when the psychiatrist sat on the desk.

"You want to say something, don't you?"

"I… I do" Anna answered, face buried in her palms "I… I know Yoh cares… But, you know, I had a plan for my life. I thought we were going to get married, and I would have a comfortable life, with him" she stared to the floor "But… I know they will force to break our engagement… the elders won't allow me to marry him, now that I'm… _impure_…" she said that last word with the utmost repulsion.

"And do you think you're impure?"

"I'm not virgin anymore"

"So… according to your belief, being virgin it's just having a membrane inside of you. So, if a man tears it, you're impure"

"If a man tears it before your marriage, yes"

"The... elders of the Asakura family told you that?"

"Yes"

"When?"

"I really don't remember. I think I had just became Yoh's fiancée"

"And the woman will be impure even if she was taken forcefully, against her will?"

Anna swallowed and closed her eyes.

"Yes"

"Oh, bullshit. Those old people don't know what the hell they're talking about… Let me bet, they're all men"

"No… not really. There are some women"

"How many?"

"Well…just one. Kino-sensei"

"They're all wrong. You're not impure because of this. How can somebody be impure because of sex? Or even worse, a rape? That's nonsense! Losing your virginity is more than just a membrane being torn by some man. I don't see you as impure, and I know Yoh doesn't think that you don't deserve him"

"You… have you…?"

"I have. I lied when I told you I had read your memories. It were his. That's why I said that he loved you in such a tender manner"

She blushed.

"I know… he loves me… I love him, too. But what does he think of me?" she asked with pleading eyes.

"Nothing bad. That's all I'm going to say… Maybe you should talk to him and find out by yourself, don't you think?"

"I… I don't think I can…"

"Then, you will never know" Aiko smiled with tenderness "He wants to talk to you, to know how you feel, but he is scared of making you feel bad, he thinks that maybe you don't want to talk… I think it is a good idea to try to speak to him…"

Anna nodded, feeling lighter with each passing second, somewhat relieved.

"C'mon" Aiko urged gently "I will ride you home. It has been enough for today"

For once, Anna did not complain. She had too much to think of and plenty of time to do so. She was considering talking to Yoh… But she was not sure of how she should start a conversation. She didn't have the ability of manipulating a person's thoughts by just using words, nor the gentleness to treat such a delicate topic as love is. No, not only love… fear of love would be a more precise means of describing her feelings. Nevertheless, she probably wasn't going to admit such fear openly.

"Maybe you should" Aiko said.

"…" she turned her head lazily to gaze at Aiko "Please, stop reading my thoughts, _Master_…"

"I will, when you learn to block"

Surprisingly, Anna didn't roll her eyes or made some sign of disdain. She nodded slowly and looked through the window. She took it as a challenge, a part of the bet she was decided to win. She was immersed in her own thoughts again and only came back to reality when her _Master_ asked for directions. It was not so far. Therefore, Anna did not have much time to think about Aiko's suggestion.

She heard the older woman utter a compliment about her house once they'd arrived, but when Anna invited her in she refused. She had patients and had spent too much time with her apprentice. That's almost exactly what she said to the itako. Maybe it was cruel, but the girl preferred it that way. She had too much to think of and Yoh's friends were inside the building. The appearance of an unknown woman with her would raise curious questions and that was the last thing she needed.

She bowed to her Master and immediately entered the inn, avoiding the kitchen and the living to install herself comfortably in her room upstairs. She noticed she felt tired as she stretched on her futon. She had a headache, too. Maybe she had strained her brain a bit. It didn't matter In spite of the pain and Aiko's harsh words, she still felt rather enthusiastic with the prospect of learning the blocking technique. In fact, she believed that her… _Master_ was testing her. Well, if it was a trial, she was certain she would be able to surpass Aiko's expectations.

She soon curled and fell asleep with these soothing thoughts.

* * *

"What did you say!"

"You heard me!"

A phone rang. Ren excused himself and answered.

"Hello?... Oh, Hi, Lyserg… Yeah… No, just Tamao, Pilika, Spikes and I…"

"SPIKES!"

"SHUT UP!... Uh-huh, were you saying…? Tomorrow?... Ok. I will tell Yoh…No, just Horo being stupid again…"

"STUPID? MILK DRINKER!..."

"Yeah, you know how he can get…"

"BABY-FACE!"

"I have to go now. See you tomorrow…"

"SHORTY PANTS!"

"OH, THAT'S IT! LET'S SOLVE THIS OUTSIDE, YOU CRYBABY!"

"Guys, please, keep it down!" Yoh said, hands up in signal of peace "Remember, you're here because Anna it's in good mood! Don't ruin it!

After long seconds of throwing knives with their eyes, Horo and Ren sat down. Since the Ainu didn't have anything else to do, he decided to practice his second favorite sport: bug Yoh with his… unusual relationship.

"So… Yoh… Have my amazing advices worked?"

Yoh looked puzzled and didn't notice Horo's typical double sense tone. Ren did. Even if he hadn't heard those "advices", he knew the blue haired man well enough to make a guess. He smirked as he pressed a mug of tea to his lips. Even if he didn't participate in this kind of conversation, it was amusing and somewhat relaxing to hear them. Since there were only men in the living room, he felt a little more comfortable talking about "private stuff", as Horo called them.

"Advices?"

"Don't act like that!"Horo said, his voice acquiring a suggestive tone "You know what!"

"Sorry, I really don't remember"

"Well, you know… how to get Anna onto your bed, man!"

In previous years, Yoh's response had always been a furious blush and blurting out some incomprehensible words. Horo now witnessed something he would have never imagined. Yoh looked down with absent eyes, somewhat depressed face. This only lasted a second, though. He was soon shaking his head and saying stupid things. Maybe the ice shaman had skipped this detail, but certainly not Ren Tao. He settled his tea in a fluent, relaxed manner.

"Is something wrong, Yoh?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Man, he is as usual!" Horo said.

"Yeah!"

Ren decided not to press too much. Yoh was lying, he knew it. Horokeu was probably closer to him, but Ren was more perceiving. He had noted the unusual reaction and the slight twitch of an eye when he evaded his question. Amidamaru's attitude was also suspicious. He would find out what was happening in the inn, he just needed to talk with him in private. He was certain his sister and Lyserg would notice the estrange behavior of both hosts as soon as they arrived.

He decided to wait a couple more days. Then he would find out what was happening between those two.

* * *

_Her body grew weak as realization descended upon her. Her forceful struggles stopped and faint cries came out throatily from her dry mouth. There was no hope left, was it? It was impossible for her to escape now. All she could do was to stay quiet and wait, even if it hurt like Hell, even if she hated it. _

_The man that had held her mouth shot retired his hand to allow the red-haired to kiss her roughly enough to tear her lips. She felt him biting his neck again, but did not even squeal at the sense of his teeth grazing her skin. He got frustrated at her sudden surrender. _

"_**Scream" **__he said hoarsely. She did not even move_._ She was too tired to scream or struggle, and she was not going to obey the orders of that demon. He slapped her, but she remained silent. __**"I'll give you a reason to scream"**_

_His thrusts came deeper, more violent as a dark smile of satisfaction lit his lips. She was struggling again, shrieking again. But she did not plead or scream. She was begging silently instead, talking to herself in her head. _

"_Stop… Oh, God... stop…it hurts… it hurts… Stop!..."_

_The red haired was satisfied finally. Another man came to take his place in between her legs, hurting her, making her pant and cry softly. She truly wanted to die. Pain grew stronger, almost unbearable, as time passed. Long seconds of raw agony numbed her mind, and sometimes she thought she would lose conciseness, but that never happened. Nor the desired darkness of unconsciousness nor the sweet, black blanket of death came to meet her ever. She was forced to stand the torture. _

_Another man finished with her. The third one came to her. She closed her eyes and cried in a strangled manner. She wasn't thinking straight now. How to think coldly when she was in so much pain?_

"_God, stop… Stop…it hurts… it hurts me… pain… This pain…" she closed her eyes and surrendered once more. Her strength was finally zapped away. She did not struggle nor cry in pain. Her mind was in another world, and her body was suffering badly "Yoh… forgive me…"_

_That's all she could think about. Pain, death and Yoh. The last of them satisfied his needs and stopped. She felt little relieve. Daring to open her eyes, she noticed they were standing up. All of them had jackknifes. Even the red-haired had one, but he hadn't stand up yet. He lowered his head, kissed her softly and then murmured._

"_**Be a good girl and don't tell anybody. If someone finds out, I will kill you"**_

_To prove he was being truthful, he drew a long cut to decorate her right arm. Two of the other men imitated him and started punching her, kicking her or cutting her._

"_**Stop"**__she whimpered in an inaudible tone, tired and scared. One of them kicked her left arm __**"Stop" **__she repeated, louder __**"Stop, stop! STOP!"**_

"_**I will kill your brother, too"**__ the red-haired added in a mockingly tone._

_It was then when Anna really started to beg. She had forgotten her pride or her dignity. She only wanted them to stop, to leave her and Yoh alone. She just wanted them to go away. The _

_red haired noted her sudden weakness at the mention of that "brother", and started murmuring how he would torture him and kill him._

_Anna struggled._

"_**Stop, stop…please… I will do… whatever you want… stop…"**_

"_**Good girl…"**_

_They didn't stop. The red-haired stood up and grabbed her by the ankle to hide her behind some trash cans. Then, he kicked her left leg, making her gasp in pain. _

"_**Stop… stop, stop…. STOP!..."**_

She shot upright on her futon, the gasp that had left her lips being overcome by the laughers downstairs. She panted heavily, a bead of cold sweat trickling the skin of her brow, as she tried to regain control and scanned the room with her eyes. Just a nightmare.

"Oh, God" she muttered under her raged breath.

As realistic as every dream she had had every night for the past two months. She didn't think she could experience one after being so tired and comfortable. In fact, she had fallen asleep without even fearing a nightmare, but, after all, it seemed she wouldn't be able to rest without having one. Her pants receded to quiet breathing after a couple of minutes. She leant back on her futon, her arms behind her head… She wondered for how long they would continue. She had gotten used to them somehow, but with Yoh's friends sleeping in near rooms, she knew they would hear her gasping and screaming sooner or later, even if most of them were not so clever. For God's sake, even Horokeu had enough brain to notice something suspicious in both Yoh and her!

The mere thought of having all those people investigating what was happening had never been so terrifying. She frowned. She would be awake for a whole month to avoid them from finding out if necessary, or take enough painkillers to knock her out and sleep without dreams. She was especially aware of the Tao's siblings perceiving nature, Lyserg's abilities as a detective and dowser, and Tamao's divination skills, which were not as good as her sensei's, but good enough to be a major problem.

She shrugged. They would not notice if she didn't want to show anything, but Yoh was another case. He was as transparent as crystalline water… He had to find a way to keep his mouth shut or soon they would have to deny the obvious fact that something bad had happened.

She sat again when she heard a knock on the door.

"Anna… huh, are you there?" she heard Yoh stutter.

She stood up and went to open the door just a little. The first thing she noticed was that Yoh had a goofy grin, and the second was that he carried a tray with her lunch.

"Sorry" he said "We didn't know you'd arrived. We called you and you didn't answer. I saw your shoes on the entrance and brought you lunch"

He offered her the tray as it was a gift or a peace offering. She was going to reject it, but Yoh's eyes were almost pleading her to accept and eat. Once again, she felt concern flying freely towards her and maybe hope swirling around his being in such a strong way it made her shiver.

"Thank you" she choked.

Yoh's face lit.

"Your welcome!" he said as he motioned to leave.

"Yoh…"

"Yeah?"

"You can stay a moment… I'm not used to eating alone" she quickly added when she saw Yoh's puzzled face. "If you want to…"

"Sure!" He stepped inside "Should I leave the door opened?"

Anna pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she thought her answer. She felt nervous with Yoh in her room, but didn't want anybody to know he had been there.

"Close it…" she said with a sharp intake of breath.

She sat on the centre, while Yoh had a seat at a prudent distance. Anna started eating quietly what her fiancé had brought her: just some soup, vegetables, rice and fried fish. In the past, she would have eaten that and more. Now it seemed almost impossible due to the tight knot in her throat and what could be a slight nausea. She convinced herself, though, and started eating without enthusiasm, occasionally stealing short glances at Yoh to see him almost beaming with delight. In all honesty, he was probably the reason that reminded her of Aiko's words and kept her eating until having finished everything.

"How was it?"

"Fine"

"Great! Don't you want more?"

"No!" she shrieked "I'm full"

"Ok… By the way, how was Aiko's training" Anna almost choked with the tea she was drinking. "Are you alright?"

"Yes… It was fine" she swallowed, remembering clearly what the telepath had advised her to do "She tried to teach me the blocking technique"

"Tried?"

"I couldn't get a hold of it…"

"Oh… Don't worry, I'm sure it's quite hard to learn. You'll do it next time"

"Yes, maybe…"

"Nope, you'll do it!"

Anna shook her head, but she was somewhat amused. He noticed and smiled broadly. She sighed and placed her tea cup on the tray, unsure of what to do next to express her thoughts and fears. Yoh didn't notice because he had his own ideas to express and knew how to.

"Anna, about what happened a few nights ago… I… Well, I would be lying if I told you I didn't want to do it" he scratched the back of his head nervously "But I want you to know that I would… never, ever do anything to hurt you… and…"

"I know…" Anna remained with her mouth slightly opened, trying to pick the correct words "I… I am not ready. That's all. You stopped. That's the important thing"

"Yeah, I guess…"

Anna swallowed a nd took strength from that act to continue.

"Yoh, I…" she started. Yoh encouraged her with a warm stare "I… I'm afraid that everyone will find out about… _this_"

"They won't…"

"They will" she stated firmly "The first trial will be in two weeks from now. What are we going to say to your friends or to the elders when they find out I am going to present a case of…"

Her voice trailed off. She couldn't say the last word out loud and thinking about it brought haunting memories to her mind. Yoh nodded, understanding her dire situation and the complexity of the problem. How to cover that from everybody? Probably sooner than later, somebody close to them would hear something and would try to get the whole information of the incident. Be the elders or their friends, in essence it didn't matter. Nobody was able to hide the sun with their pinky finger. Someone was bound to find out.

What was bothering both of them was mainly the fact that if this spilled out and got to the ears of the elders, they would be forced apart. Anna's link with the Asakura family would be severed and Yoh would have to marry another woman. None of them thought of the possibility as pleasant.

"Maybe we should call the elders and ask for an appointment"

Anna's eyes almost got out of their sockets.

"What?"

"If they find out on their own, it will be worse. Maybe we should invite my grandparents here for a couple of days, take the out and inform them about this situation and about our decision to keep the engagement intact"

"Kino and Yohmei cannot take a decision like this! It will require an audition with the whole council of elders. The twelve of them!"

"Yes, but if we spoke to Kino and Yohmei and convince them to speak in our favor, we'll have a lot of advantage. They have influence… And I'm old enough to have some force of decision… Not much, but I think we can do it"

The most frustrating thing was that the council of elders was not known for making compassionate or human decisions. In a world of decline, they had to keep the interest and the traditions of the family first before even thinking on marrying an impure woman to the heir.

"What do you think?"

"Well, I'm a woman. I don't have absolutely any kind of power in the Council's decision" she said matter-of-factly.

"Such a stupid tradition…" he muttered. "But you'll be affected by the decision they make. I won't call my grandparents if you don't want to…"

She nodded and looked at him with thankful eyes. However, she remained silent. Yoh gave her a small smile that didn't last long, but was enough for her to make a decision.

"I… I will call Kino-sensei by myself"

"Are you sure?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes… It will be better. I won't tell her anything yet… But I should be the one inviting her"

He nodded. There was also something else bothering him, but he wouldn't express it right now. Later, after the elder's problem was solved, he would focus on their relationship. For now it would be better to just drop the topic.

"I'll take the tray downstairs"

Anna too intended to go downstairs. She needed to sit in the garden to clear her head and breathe fresh air. A laugher echoed and died in the hall downstairs. The blonde girl wrinkled her nose. How annoying could those idiots become? She wasn't sure she could handle four weeks with them, but then again, that was the same thing she kept saying every Annual Reunion, and she had always been able to survive without killing somebody. She would make sure that stayed the same.

She waited for Yoh to disappear before going down the stairs. She found Jun in the way. The Chinese was giving her an estrange but discreet stare. Anna turned on her heels abruptly when the green-haired woman went past her.

"Do you want to ask me something, Jun?"

Jun turned slowly to face her.

"No. I was just going to my room, that's all"

Anna nodded before stomping down the hall. Jun kept looking at the spot where the itako had been just seconds ago.

"Ren is right… She has been acting bizarre lately…"

Jun changed her mind and decided to look for her brother.

* * *

That's chapter seven. Chapter 8 is almost done, but I will have to find a beta reader first. I will upload chapter 8 in 2 weeks or so. See you later!


	8. Resolution

Hello there! Sorry for the delay, but it's finally done. I managed to write this in spite of the school, the mind blowing parties, England's terrible weather, the industrial amount of alcohol (but I actually never got drunk), the annoying noise my room mate makes even right now, the lack of good food and my Birthday! I'm 17 now!... Gettin' old.

Here is chapter 8- Is really long, but I think is not boring. Hope you like it!

This is the BETAed version. Enjoy!

* * *

**Resolution**

**Two days later, 3: 45 a.m**

"Something is happening to her, Ren."

They were both sitting in the living room. Everybody was sleeping after a day of forced work in the Inn, but not Ren and Jun. They were both natural insomniacs and had trouble keeping on a bed for more than four hours. Perhaps it was due to the demanding training they both received when they were small children or to the fact that sleeping was being with the guard down, and none of them liked to be in that state of vulnerability.

"I'm aware of that too, sister."

"You two can't sleep?" said another voice.

Ren shifted to stare at the newcomer.

"… Lyserg."

"No, we can't…"

"Me neither," whispered Lyserg. "There is a matter troubling me."

The green-haired man sat next to Ren, his expression unreadable, but there was a small frown in his face that made the Tao believe he was thinking. Lyserg thought he was the only one noticing the strange behavior of both Anna and Yoh, but if Ren and Jun felt the same way as he, then he had to be right. There was something absolutely wrong. His _inner detective_ knew it. It was just a little, bothersome voice in his head, but when it came to a mystery that voice was the one putting the pieces together.

"Anna?"

"Anna," he repeated as if explaining the problem. He leaned his head forward and rested it on his fist. "There's something wrong. I don't know her as well as you, but I can tell she hasn't been acting as she used to. In the past, she did things to keep everyone working and everything under control. She made Yoh train, Manta and Horo clean, Ryu and Tamao cook… She was a cold, person, usually mean, but now…"

"But now… I mean, Yoh is training on his own. She spends more time in her bedroom than actually watching over everybody. "

"She's distracted, in a world of her own."

"… As if thinking on something important. But what?"

"Have you noticed she hasn't hit Horo-Horo? That's just strange. She hates him and she used to beat him almost every day on past Annual Reunions..."

"Let's think again. Anna is showing an estrange behavior. She is not hitting anybody, not checking over Yoh, not… well, not being herself."

"Besides…" started Jun with a gesture of her hand. "She is not even eating properly! She used to have a great appetite. I just had to see her face while eating to notice she wasn't enjoying the food as she used to do. Something actually bad had to happen to her…"

"Which bring us a question: what the hell happened to her to make her change so much?"

They went silent for a few moments.

"Maybe Yoh is the key. He hasn't been acting like himself lately."

"So, it's something that affects both of them. Yoh was once careless and liked to laze around. Now he seems worried about something."

"It would be wise to suppose that something bad has happened between them?"

"… Maybe."

Lyserg pondered all these ideas, then shook his head. They couldn't go further on as things were. They had to investigate more in order to find out the truth. The three of them were willing to do it, since they had a curious nature and they had been raised to get as much information as possible from their surroundings. That was precisely what they were planning to do.

"Jun, try to get closer to Anna, see what you can find out by watching her. Lyserg and I will watch Yoh and try to get something out of him."

"Do you think we should actually try get into this, brother?"

"I think we should at least know what's going on."

"We don't have the right to meddle in."

"… Maybe not, but I'm willing to take a chance."

"Perhaps we can help them, but we have to find out what has happened first," Lyserg said reasonably.

Jun dropped her head to meditate about the matter. She didn't feel good spying on their hosts, to not say friends. Nevertheless, she complied.

"Fine, then. I will watch Anna."

Days passed far too quickly for Anna's taste. She witnessed the arrival of the rest of the gang (Ryu, Jun, Faust, Lyserg, and finally Manta) and endured the painfully constant fights between all of them. It was bound to happen, with the Inn being overcrowded with people with such different tempers. Probably, the most troublesome were Ren and Horo. Nevertheless, Chocolove wasn't so far behind them, with his terrible jokes being the usual cause of a riot in the kitchen or the living room.

While Yoh enjoyed all this scenarios, Anna hated them with all her heart. In fact, this was like Hell to her. The worst thing was that she couldn't avoid this situation, her desperate efforts to remain distant notwithstanding. The excess of people and ghosts made her even more terrified of her secret being uncovered. However, that was a small fear compared to the dread of having to confront Kino and Yohmei on Friday.

The blonde woman didn't sleep the day before the meeting. She just couldn't. She kept creating and replaying all the possible worst scenarios in her head while trying to come up with the possible solutions for each one of them. She wanted to leave the talking to Yoh, since he had more ability with words than her, but she knew she would have to participate in the discussion and she could make Kino feel sympathetic, since the old woman loved her. It was an estrange love, but love nonetheless and that was a plus for her.

She was the third waking up that morning. Ryu and Tamao were in the kitchen already, preparing the breakfast. She had to recognize that both cooked very well. It had been a lot easier to eat what they made instead of what Yoh used to prepare. Also, the two shamans enjoyed preparing the food for everyone and worked in team, at least in the kitchen, because Anna knew that Tamao was a little afraid of Ryu's… weirdness….

"Is breakfast ready?" Anna asked.

"Oh… Good Morning, Anna-sama!"greeted Tamao, nervous at her sudden appearance "Not yet."

"Five more minutes!"

Anna nodded and sat near the table. Soon, everybody was awake and waiting for breakfast… Everybody _except_ Asakura Yoh.

"I think he overslept again…" Manta said, one hand to his brow.

Everyone stared at Anna. She sighed.

"I'll wake him up.

Heaven forbid there's an Annual Reunion without Anna waking Yoh up in the most brutal ways. It was almost a ritual. They heard the itako's footsteps fading away as she climbed the stairs, the peculiar stomping sound her feet made through the hall, the soft murmur of a bedroom door being opened, and then… silence.

"Here we go," Horo whispered.

"Shhh…."

3…

Horo smiled.

2…….

Manta swallowed.

1………..

"YOH YOU BAKA! YOU OVERSLEPT AGAIN! WAKE UP, YOU LAZY BUM!..."

"AHHHHHH!" Yoh was woken up by the sound of something heavy falling to the ground and light objects being tossed near him. He tried to crawl away, but he noticed the treasure Anna had in her hands. "N-NOT BOB'S NEW CD! P-PLEASE!"

Anna froze her throwing movement at that plea and looked at him intensely. So, he must be almost fully awake to have noticed that. Yoh was almost having a heart attack on his futon. He watched with a nervous tic as Anna placed the CD back in its place.

"In the name of God! Don't ever do that again!"

"Be grateful at least! I didn't hit you this time."

Yoh thought of this for a few seconds and smiled after noticing that she had thrown his wardrobe to make some noise, maybe to get people downstairs to think she had hit him.

"Gettin' soft, aren't we," he said, cockily.

"Shut up and go downstairs before I open a hole in the wall with your head," she snorted.

"Hey," he called."Thanks for not hitting me this time."

Anna left the bedroom quickly without answering. The truth was that she hadn't had the heart to hit him that time, for some reason… She didn't think too much about the matter, though. After Yoh joined everybody for breakfast, the mood returned to the usual. Jokes and laughs filled the air, temporal fights also took place, but they're controlled by the women in the room.

After finishing breakfast, everyone started the house chores they had been assigned. Most of them didn't pay for the stay, but had to work a lot cleaning, repairing, buying groceries and cooking to make Anna happy enough to let them sleep under her roof. That had been agreed years ago and nobody was going to question the itako about the matter… The only ones actually paying were Ren, Jun, Faust, Lyserg and Manta, but even them did something to help for old time's sake. It was nice to work shoulder to shoulder with friends.

But that day was different. Yoh worked hard during the morning, as usual, but after a few hours he said he was going out with Anna… That earned a general guffaw and a few whistles. He laughed in embarrassment, but secretly wished that was the real motive for going out with her… Sadly, it wasn't.

He had to leave his friends behind to meet Anna at the house's entrance. The man threw her a nervous glimpse, as if looking for confirmation or answer in her black eyes. She just returned a cold stare that only gave him a small clue of her feelings at that moment, but it was enough. He understood her reply.

"Let's go," he said gently.

Anna obliged in silence, her body a little stiff due to her nervousness. While walking, she thought of the irony of these actions: this was like running into the wolf's mouth willingly, a suicide attempt. Well, the elders wouldn't kill her, but they would surely consider sullying her honor by spreading the rumor of the incident. God, they're giving those old men weapons to use when they considered necessary.

Time passed too quickly; soon they're walking towards an old building, some sort of Japanese restaurant where they had arranged to meet with Yohmei and Kino. They had been there before, since the building counted with private dining rooms that were perfect for heated discussions.

When they entered the restaurant they were received by a geisha. Yoh gave him his name and soon they were being led to where Yohmei and Kino were. However, when the woman opened the door to the private dining room, there were more than two people.

Yoh swallowed. Anna paled.

"Oh, Yoh-kun! Long time no see!" greeted a man sitting next to Yohmei "You've grown a lot!"

Both Yoh and Anna bowed respectfully at the sight before them: eight of the twelve elders were sitting in the room wearing traditional dressing and slightly bowing back at them. The blonde woman couldn't help but feel deeply betrayed. She had told Yohmei and Kino to come alone, not giving clues about what they would talk about. However, they had brought many other elders with them, as if they knew the motive of their summoning was too important to be decided by just two people.

"I'm sorry we couldn't come alone, my children," said Kino first. "These wonderful _gentlemen_ insisted in accompanying us."

Anna knew she wasn't lying. She guessed Yohmei and Kino had no choice but to let them come with them to Tokyo. How the hell did the other elders find out there was a problem to be discussed and this was not a family reunion? Impossible to know… After all, the council members were distrustful people and watched each other secretly. There were some prophets there, so maybe they had been informed by the spirits already.

"Greetings, venerable elders," said Yoh.

Anna repeated this and both bowed again.

"Greetings."

Anna took her time to evaluate the situation and tried to recall the names of the present elders. She recognized the Daichi from the Osaka province, Kenta from Nagasaki, Hotaka from Ishikawa, Hideyoshi from Kyoto and Hayate from Osaka. There was one she didn't know, but he introduced himself as Jiro from Yamagushi. Most of them didn't carry the Asakura last name, but where related to the family at some point, so they had some power of decision of the destiny of the main family.

They both sat down and _enjoyed _a quiet meal with the elders, who would later decide their fate.

* * *

Now that the Anna and Yoh had gone for a while, the Inn was silent. Most of the people were taking naps before the itako came back and sent them back to work. However, there was a meeting in the gardens.

"I haven't gotten Yoh to talk," Lyserg said

"Me neither. He keeps avoiding the questions, but he is definitely hiding something."

"Jun?"

"Yes, brother?"

"You're closer to Anna than we are, what have you found out?"

Jun hesitated.

"Jun?"

"I haven't found out anything consistent."

"Not even small clues? Even the smallest detail can be helpful."

"… She is having trouble sleeping."

"She has never slept too much…"

"No, but I mean… nightmares."

"Nightmares?"

"Pirika, Tamao and I share the room next to her. Those too haven't noticed, since they sleep soundly, but I can hear her every night. She is not so loud, but… I could catch some words…"

"For example?"

"Stop…"

"Stop?"

"Yes."

"Well… That can mean anything…"

Jun preferred to let Lyserg do some conjectures. There was no way the detective could find out what was happening with the few clues they had gathered. On the other hand, Jun had an abstract idea… Stop was not the only word she had heard from the mouth of the itako. She had also perceived gasping sounds that where pretty similar to words such as "hurts", "pain", "die", "sorry" and even phrases like "forgive me" and "my fault". There was something generating guilt in the girl, and so much sorrow… She could almost feel it through the walls, as the younger woman writhed soundly and let shaky gasps escape.

However, she remained silent, keeping these discoveries to herself.



* * *

"Child, it is my believing that you didn't summon us to just eat and chat" said Daichi "Am I correct?"

Yoh hesitated.

"Yes."

Anna felt the looks of those old people on her, but she was staring at Kino. The woman was blind, but she kept her head high and was very aware of the event that was about to take place.

"Well, then. Speak."

"You see, it's a very delicate situation, Yoh started. He knew how to deal with his grandparents, but this… He now had to rearrange the conversation he had planned previously to convince Yohmei and Kino. "I know you have to keep the interest and the traditions of the family, but…"

"Is she pregnant?" Hotaka asked.

"No," Anna answered quickly.

"Then, what is it?"

"Well, as I said, a very delicate situation… Hum… Three months ago, I fell terribly sick, so sick I fainted for hours… Uh, Anna went out late in the night to get me some medicines. However…."

"She was raped," Hideyoshi completed. Anna didn't even flinch at the mention of that hideous word. She wasn't going to show any openings to _them. "_Wasn't she?"

Yoh delayed answering, but at the end he nodded and spoke out a clear _Yes. _The room went silent for a moment. This was like a dream to some people. It was an opportunity to tear apart that engagement and propose their daughters or granddaughters to the heir, which would be beneficial to their families and would allow them to carry the Asakura title once again.

"I know that the traditions dictate that an impure woman must not marry the heir," Yoh said. "But Anna is healthy and is the most powerful candidate. That's why I believe the engagement should be kept."

"You won't decide that, child," Jiro said. "It is our role to decide what's best for the family."

"However, he's old enough for his words to be accounted," Kino replied. She turned to Yoh. "Then, you want to keep the engagement?"

"I do."

"Anna?"

"Yes, me too."

"My decision is settled then."

"But you alone cannot decide the fate of the heir," interrupted Jiro again. "The traditions are clear: she is impure and must not marry the heir. Another candidate must take her place."

"Shall I propose another candidate?" Hideyoshi said.

"Who?"

"My granddaughter, Kaede."

"I don't want another candidate" Yoh interrupted.

"Kaede is not an itako, but a shaman," Hideyoshi continued, ignoring him.

"If I remember correctly, I beat that child long ago," Anna blurted, finally bursting.

"She has trained and gotten stronger."

"So have I."

"But she is not impure, as _you_ are now," he snorted.

Anna was just about to jump over the old man when Hayate interrupted.

"But I think Anna has a point… The main interest of this family is to survive, and the only way of accomplishing that goal is to produce powerful members. Since Anna is the strongest candidate and is still in good health, I suppose she is the most indicated to conceive strong heirs."

"Her strength hasn't been tested for years!"

"Are you proposing tryouts?"

"I think it would be the most logical thing to do. If she wins, the engagement will be kept intact."

"Tryouts won't be necessary. Anna proved to be the most indicated last year. Why to do it now again?" Kino countered.

"It's for the best."

"No, it's for your best, Hideyoshi. Kaede won't beat my student. Deal with that."

"You insolent woman! How dare you!"

"Don't you dare to speak like that to my wife!"

"Don't make a scene here!"

"Oh, shut up, Daichi!"

"The only thing you want is merit! That's all!"

"To propose this orphan girl in the first place was a mistake!"

"She is the most indicated!"

"OH, SO YOU THINK THAT SHE IS BETTER THAN KAEDE, A MEMBER OF A PRESTIGIOUS SHAMAN FAMILY!"

"YES! IT'S NOT MY FAULT SHE KICKED KAEDE'S ASS WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER!"

"SHE CHEATED!"

"ARE YOU STUPID?! HOW THE HELL WOULD SHE CHEAT?!"

"OLD HAG!"

"MORON!"

"USELESS WOMAN!"

"YOU IDIOTIC MAN!"

Anna and Yoh kept at the background as the elders spoke out loud the grudges they had been holdings for years. It was like watching a live wrestling match. They heard words that didn't even know that existed, but it wasn't funny… It was rather embarrassing and awkward to be witnessing that fight.

"SILENCE, YOU TWO!" Daichi stood up to face both "You're a joke. This is a formal council meeting. If you cannot behave, I suggest you two leave."

Kino sat down heavily and crossed her arms giving a loud huff.

"Now, back to the topic… Anna is strong and healthy. As Hayate said, the interest of this family is to survive by bringing stronger family members… This itako has proven to be strong. I suggest keeping the engagement…"

"Well then. But under a condition," Jiro said.

"Speak," urged Hayate.

"Let's bring forward the wedding. If in three months Anna is not pregnant, the marriage shall be nullified."

Both Yoh and Anna paled.

"_What?!"_

"It's… reasonable," Hayate said.

"_God, no! It's not!"_

"So, she has to be pregnant in three months?"

"Yes. If not Yoh will have to look for another candidate and marry her."

"_Three months!"_

"I don't think is the best way to proceed," Yohmei said.

"What do you suggest, then?"

"I suggest leaving things as they were before."

"I would rather not," Jiro retorted. "The woman is impure. We're giving her the chance of keeping the engagement under certain conditions. If she doesn't accept, then the engagement will be dissolved."

Anna swallowed heavily. Her cold façade had broken long ago and now her feelings could be read on her eyes. A few months ago she wouldn't mind if the marriage was brought forward, but now... Not only that, but they were demanding her to conceive a child in a three month term! God, how to allow Yoh to touch her after what had happened? She wasn't even capable of holding his hand or kissing! Now they requested sleeping with him!

She knew her only role in the Asakura family was to marry Yoh and give as many children as possible, but this… This was just too much for her, for both. They were definitely not reading for sex, let alone having children.

Kino supposed the other elders weren't going to change their minds. She knew three months was not enough time for the couple.

"Three months is too little time. I suggest doubling the time."

"Double!"

"Yes, you heard well. Six months."

The room went silent again. The elders pondered the new suggestion. It was possible, actually, to bring the wedding forward. That way they would get new shamans sooner or else Yoh would have to look for another wife. Six months was an acceptable period of time, too.

"Let's vote, then… Yes for bringing forward the wedding and giving them six months to have a child. No for separating them…" Daichi said. "Kenta?"

"No."

"Hotaka?"

"Yes."

"Hideyoshi?"

"No."

"Hayate?"

"…Yes."

"Jiro?"

"She is impure. Three months or not."

"Yes or no?"

"Of course not!"

"Jiro says no. Yohmei?"

"Yes."

"Kino?"

The old woman hesitated. She wasn't sure this was the best way to proceed, but it was the only one the others seemed to accept. She apologized silently and said clearly:

"Yes."

Yoh swallowed. Daichi's vote would be the final. If he voted no, there would be a tie and they would have to wait for the other two elders and repeat the voting.

"And as for me, yes."

Yoh sighed from relief and smiled. His happiness faded when he turned his head to look at Anna, though. The girl's head was sunk in her shoulders and a few bangs of blonde hair prevented him to see her eyes. Although half of her features were hidden, he did notice the tense jawbone, her pursed lips and her shaking, delicate shoulders.

His countenance softened greatly as he considered extending his hand to brush hers, offering support, but he resisted the temptation. They would be together… but this deal wouldn't be easy to keep for him and less for her. Yes, she had the hardest part and it wasn't fair. They had to talk. Urgently.

Daichi turned to them.

"Yoh, do you find this acceptable?"

Anna rose her head and turned to share a look with her fiancé that the elders couldn't quite read. There was uncertainness and fear blended together in Anna's black orbs, forming a question only coherent to Yoh. The shaman responded with a look full of reassurance and care, his lips and brows twitching slightly upwards to give his face a warm appearance. Anna reassumed her cold expression, her eyes filling with razor-sharp resolution. He understood and turned to the elders.

"Yes, we find this acceptable."

"Well then."

"Kyouyama Anna," Hideyoshi called, disdainfully. "Even though I don't agree with the Council's decision, I shall respect it. Nevertheless, if you don't conceive a child in six months, the marriage will be nullified, your link to the Asakura family, severed…" his eyes glinted with pure abhorrence, as if the mere sight of Anna was the most hideous he had ever seen. "… and your honor shall be sullied… I will personally take care of that."

Anna just nodded slowly, her face's color suddenly resembling ash. Daichi looked at Hideyoshi and made a comment about his behavior, but actually did nothing to comfort the itako. That was not his job, after all. He turned to the engaged couple.

"You may go. We shall discuss the best date for the wedding. Once we come to an agreement, we'll call you."

Kino stood up to accompany them to the exit, wanting to have a word with her apprentice. Yoh went ahead to leave them free space to talk.

"Child, I'm sorry you had to pass through this dire situation, but please consider my position. I couldn't have done anything else."

"I know, Oba-san," Anna said, tiredly. "I know."

"We'll talk about this later. I'll try to soften the elders a bit to see if they can stretch the time period."

"I don't think they'll change their minds."

"Hush, child. Let that to my care … I will stay a while longer in Tokyo. I want to hear the whole course of events, and how it happened exactly. It may be hard, but you won't hide that to me, will you?"

"… No, of course not."

"Good… I'll see you in a couple of days."

Anna bowed respectfully and went to meet Yoh at the exit. The shaman smiled at her, but she only returned a cold stare and went on walking with him following her steps closely. His glance hardened a little as he stared at her back, noticing the stiffness of her usually graceful movements, the soft twitches her hands made when fisting in rage and the soft, yet angry murmur of her voice.

At least four hours had passed since leaving the Inn. He wondered how bad the goofing would be. He was in no mood for his friends' bad jokes, either was the girl. Luckily, at the sight of Anna's expression, nobody dared to make funny comments about their long absence. The itako went straight to her room without saying a word to anybody and Yoh just went past his friends, to the gardens. Horo tried to speak to him, but it was no use. The shaman only wanted to be alone for a moment.

Yoh went out, kicking off his shoes to feel the wet grass beneath his feet. He walked aimlessly for a few moments before spotting his favorite place to laze when Anna was not looking. He laid down, his arms behind his skull as Amidamaru flew in circles above him. The sight of his ghost companion was comforting, as usual.

Even though the day events were disturbing, he still was going easy on it. Probably the reality hadn't hit him yet. The idea of marrying Anna sooner than expected was not so bad, actually, but to have a child with her… under this conditions… This was too much. It was not as simple as fucking her. That was not the idea he had of sex, especially with her, when she had been his fiancée for so long and seemed to be so frail now.

"Amidamaru… what do you think I should do?"

"It's a hard question, Yoh-donno."

"I know… I just… God."

"I know."

"Do you think we could…? I don't know if we can actually keep the engagement under these conditions."

"I'm not sure myself… But… Well, maybe you'll find a way."

"Any suggestions?"

"I'm afraid I stayed away from women in my path to become a samurai. I'm not very reliable when it comes to them."

"Well, not that I'm an expert myself," he smiled bitterly. "We'll find a way… I'm sure."

* * *

"No, there's no way… How could I? God, sleep with him… and have a child… So soon… There's no way…"

"_Well, it won't be so hard. Come to think of it, you'll just have to lay on your back, with your legs wide open and let him do you…"_

"Oh, shut up!"

"_But think. He doesn't even need your permission, does he?"_

"He would never do that…"

"_He is a man."_

"He is Yoh."

"_Oh, come on, what kind of lame excuse is that?"_

"We aren't ready for this…"

"_Then, break the engagement."_

Anna threw herself to the floor, her futon receiving her softly amongst its thick sheets, as if trying to embrace her body and caress the uncovered skin of her face. Break the engagement? No, not that… That must be even worse, mustn't it? Of course. What would she do… if her only hope of surviving, of healing, of being somebody in life was torn apart? No… maybe there was a way, in spite of the toughness of the situation.

She breathed in, then out, to ease her anxiousness and weariness. After getting comfortable she decided to think about this calmly. One of the matters concerning her was the closeness of the trials. How to bear a child whilst dealing with the criminals? Or even worse, what if the trials extended and she had to give birth to a baby and go see those bastards' faces at the same time?

It wouldn't be the most ideal childhood for that… kid.

She knew she had to give birth to at least one baby to be with Yoh, or else their marriage could be nullified, but… would she turn out to be a good mother under such turmoil? She had never been good with people, let alone with kids. When they were born everybody said they were cute, but she only saw little, crying, red crying things demanding attention twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As they grew up and learnt how to walk and talk, they became even more annoying: they got into trouble easily, they screamed while running in circles, they demanded even more attention…

In conclusion, she hated kids. Knowing she would have to bring one of those creatures to earth to be with Yoh didn't mean she was prepared for it. Which led her to an old question: should she break the engagement?

The girl shook her head. It seemed like a dead end alley to her.

She resolved to go out for fresh air. She needed it desperately to clear her head. It was late already, so everybody was asleep. She took especial care so as to not disturb the guests. The last thing she wanted was those fools meddling with her own business. The house was mostly made of wood and was old, but she already knew by heart the planks that creaked. Therefore, she had no problem avoiding them.

The night was cold, but she didn't mind. She felt quite comfortable there. She walked in circles for a few moments, looking for her favorite spot… It was already taken. She froze at the sight of Yoh lying on the grass, fast asleep. She motioned to leave quietly before he spotted her.

"Anna?" he inquired.

"_Oh, shit."_

She turned, very slowly, to face him. He had shifted and was now on his stomach, his arms at his sides for balance.

"I knew it was you." he smiled.

"It could be Jun or Ren. They're also insomniacs, you know?"

"Yeah, but they usually go to the kitchen and hang out until it's morning… You and I are the only ones that come here."

"…Were you stargazing again?" she quickly asked to change the subject.

"Well… more or less. I was also thinking," he beckoned her to sit by his side. Anna was reluctant, but she obliged.

"I… think we should talk… I mean, it was a very hasty decision… I feel uncomfortable with it. I want to marry you, but I think it's not the best time… I… would like to know how you feel…"

"I'm Ok"

"No, I mean… What do you think about this?"

The itako remained silent as she embraced her knees.

"Anna…"

"What?"

Her voice came out in a flat tone. She glanced at him, casually, as if studying an object that was not really there. Yoh shivered. Anna hadn't looked at him like that, with so much disdain in her eyes, for years, since having met at Ozoresan.

"I… I would like to talk about _this._"

"About what?"

"What just happened!"

"I don't want to talk about it now…"

"But…!"

Anna stared at him scornfully, silencing him, before standing up and taking some distance.

"Look, let's just accept this. We'll get married and that's it."

Yoh blinked. He didn't know what the hell got into him after that. Maybe it was the tiredness, the stress of the past days or Anna standing in front of him with so much coldness in her eyes, so much tension in each muscle… Maybe it was all that cumulated _grudge_ he held against the itako, but he found a spot in his body, a source of rage that gave him enough strength to fight back for the first time in his entire life.

"No, that's not it," he snorted, also standing up. His brown eyes met her black ones with so much coldness and rage it made her shiver. "I'm sick of this! You're always playing cold as if you don't care about anything! Stop pretending!"

The girl blinked, not used to this treatment, but soon found a source of rage and hatred that wasn't directed towards him, but he could be her relief. She was tired, too, weary, and so full of restrained emotions that she let her guard down, even if briefly. Just the sight of him looking down at her lighted a spark in her. What gave him the right to speak to her like that? To call her a liar? She stepped back, but stared at him with rage-filled eyes.

"Pretending? I am the one pretending? And what about you?"

"I have tried to show you everything! I have tried to help you!"

"I didn't ask for help!"

Yoh moved to get closer to her, now hardly a couple of inches apart. Anna stood her ground and even dared to move forward until they were almost touching.

"Oh, sorry then! I should have left you alone!"

"So, that's it, Yoh? Tell me!" she roared, getting closer to him. "Was it pity?! That's all?! Did you help me because of your lame compassion?! Well, I don't need it!"

"Accepting help doesn't make you weak!"

"So it was compassion!"

"It wasn't compassion!"

"Liar!" Now they were screaming, eyes locked in each other and muscles taut "Liar! Liar! Liar! I could feel it!" she paused. "Whenever you looked at me, I could feel it clearly!"

"I… I felt it… but…"

"But what?!" she asked, panting. Yoh's eyes lost its previous rage. Hers didn't "But what?! Tell me!"

"I… I…"

"SEE?!" she hit him in the chest with one tense fist "God damn it! I… I thought what you felt for me was… and I wanted so desperately… to…! Shit! I just wanted to hear _it_, but it was only pity! And I am the one pretending?!"

Yoh dropped his head in signal of defeat.

"Oh" Anna said with a snarl "I get it now… You're just helping me because you felt guilty about this?! I will make you feel better. It was my fault!"

"It's not…!

" I'm so sorry you had to bring forward the marriage because of me! Sorry I got into that fucking dark alley! Sorry I got raped by those bastards! Sorry for ruining your life!..."

"It's not like that!"

"SHUT UP!" she stepped back when he tried to get closer. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

A crash was heard, like those you can hear when an object made of glass is dropped onto a hard floor. Anna shut her mouth close, her eyes fixed on Yoh's. His face mirrored her very own expression: lips pursed, jaw tense and brows risen in dread. She let go out the air she had been retaining for several seconds and gazed towards the wooden planks of the entrance.

"God, no…"

Her eyes scanned the _crowd_ standing just a few meters away. Everybody was there. Now she could clearly hear their agitated breaths, the gasps of shock Manta and Ryu were letting out so often, Tamao's and Pirika's muffled cries. She bit her tongue, unsure of what to do next, of what had just happened. She turned to Yoh, her anger resurfacing.

"Leave" she whispered with a sharp exhalation. Yoh didn't move. "Leave" she repeated, but again the man stood his ground "Leave! Leave! LEAVE! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE"

Yoh extended his arm and grasped her wrist.

"LET GO OF ME!" she cried out, eyes full of tears and recoiling. "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

A loud, smacking sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed in the gardens and into the house. Anna stood there, elbow still bent, mouth half opened and breathing heavily. Yoh's eyes were wide open in surprise and pain as he stared her fiancée going straight towards his friends, to yell at them in an incomprehensible way before daring to hurt some of them. He heard Manta scream when she kicked him, Chocolove grundt when she punched him, Tamao's pained cry when she received a deep scratch…

Then she suddenly stopped, and ran to the exit.

Yoh dropped to the floor as he called out her name in pure anguish. He had seen it in her eyes, all that loathing and wrath, and they were so real, so intense. It hadn't been just a petty quarrel that could be solved later; it had been a real fight, full of rage and the statements done there meant a lot to him. He could barely feel his friends' attempts to bring him to his feet, their struggles to get him into the inn and onto the floor of the living room. He stared absently at Faust, who was checking and bandaging Tamao's scratches.

He saw a cup of tea placed in front of him and heard Horo say it would calm him, but he ignored this action.

"_What have I done?"_

He stood up, suddenly calling out her name again.

"Where is she?" he asked, frantically

"She went out"

"WHAT?!"

He immediately ran towards the exit, but found Ren blocking his path. He struggled to get him out of his way.

"What the hell are you doing? Let me go!"

Ren punched him as hard as his body could stand. Yoh tumbled and fell over the floor. He watched up in confusion.

"Settle down!" said Ren. "Everybody but us is going after her. They'll find her."

"I-I want to go!" he stood up.

"If you calm down. She's really upset now; if you go like a madman towards her you'll just blow the chance of getting her back here!"

Yoh dropped to his knees again.

"W-what should I do?"

"Calm down, breathe, and we'll go looking for her. If we find her, we'll keep an eye of her. She'll have her space to think and we'll be watching her in case something bad happens. Is that fine?"

"I think… Yeah, I think that's fine."

"Ok, then… Pirika, Tamao, stay here. Spikes, you may come if you want to"

"Don't call me Spikes!"

"Oh, shut up and let's go at once!"

* * *

It was so, so cold. Her legs hurt so much she thought they would give away at any moment, but she kept running. She just wanted to get away from him, from them, from everything. Now she didn't care. She would rather die than going back to face those eyes glancing down at her compassionately. How worse could it become? Her virginity, her dignity, her future with Yoh… All stolen in less than two months. God, she didn't remember suffering so much since her long gone childhood, or since watching Yoh dead at her feet. She had almost forgotten how bad her own suffering was. No, not others' suffering. That was bad, but her own… It had become almost unbearable.

It started raining. Kino had always told her that she was a compulsive runner. She ran whenever she felt too much grief to express or was too anxious to deal with it at the moment. Running had always helped her cool down to think about the matter at hand later, when she was calmer. It was some kind of relief; it gave her a sense of freedom, a fake illusion of having left all her problems behind to be forgotten forever. She felt even better running in the rain, even if the droplets were cold and fell so hard she thought they could pierce her skin at any moment. Not that she cared, no…

The blonde saw the blur of buildings and people with umbrellas passing at her sides, and sometimes she stumbled with a few of them, but didn't even mind apologizing, other times she fell on her knees, tearing her trousers and painfully scraping the flesh to the point of bleeding. It was just a small pain compared to the one in her chest. Yet, the pain her body was giving was some sort of small relief to her soul.

She didn't know how much she had run when she fell as long as she was and couldn't stand up again. It had been long, because now she found herself at a bridge with the flowing river beneath it. The itako curled herself into a ball and sobbed quietly. The lonely streets did not offer comfort to the girl, but it was fine to her. Once again, she was alone.

"This is not a place to be alone at night," she heard.

She jerked and, breathing heavily, stood up as quickly as her weary body would allow. Her eyes were fixed on a shadow stepping into the lights.

"Jun…" she recognized, immediately turning her back to her and walking away.

Jun did nothing but follow her from a prudent distance. The blonde was too tired to start running again and was now walking slowly. However, the other's presence was rather irritating.

"Stop following me!" she finally snapped.

"I'm just making sure you don't run into trouble."

"I don't need your help."

"I know, but I want to be here."

Anna approached until they were just millimeters apart.

"I'm not going back home. Fuck off!"

"I know you don't want to go back… But everyone is looking for you."

"Whatever," she said, tiredly. "Go back to the Inn."

"You are too tired to wander alone."

"God damnit, Jun! You're not listening a word of what I'm saying, are you?"

"I am, but I disagree with you… If you don't want to go to the Inn, why don't we find a place where we can sit and hide from the rain?"

"Like where?"

"Like there."

The Chinese pointed a bench near the entrance of a closed shop. It was dry. Anna didn't want to do anything Jun said, but she was soaked and cold and the idea of staying under the rain was not so tempting anymore. She also knew the older woman was not going to leave her alone until she got what she wanted. She obliged.

They both sat down in silence. Jun stretched a little and then crossed her legs in a rather feminine way. Anna just fell heavily into the bench and staid as she was, feeling dazed.

"How did you find me so easily?"

"I was the first one on going after you. It took longer to the others to react."

"So, you're following me from the beginning."

"Yes… It was not so easy, though. You're a fast runner."

"… Where's Lee Pailong?"

"Up there," she pointed a building. The fighter was looking down watchfully, far enough to give them space, but ready in case something happened. "He doesn't like to leave me alone at any time."

"Yeah, I see…"

"Anna… I noted Yoh and you were acting estrange lately."

Strangely, Anna did not snap at her, but dropped her head as her elbows rested on her knees. The girl shook her head, as if trying to focus her blurred vision. Her heart was giving painful pangs in her chest.

"… I know… Ren and Lyserg suspected something too, right?"

"Actually, everybody was suspicious about you two… You just weren't being yourselves."

"… Was I so obvious?"

"No, not really… I thought something really bad had happened… I suspected it would be something like this, but didn't dare to make sure…"

"How?"

"I recognized the _symptoms._"

"Recognized the…?" she twisted her head to face her, wide eyed. "You...?"

Jun changed her position and leaned back to rest her head on the wall. Her eyes were closed now, as if remembering something or picking the next words carefully. Anna watched her, almost expectant. She pressed her reishi forward, and discovered to her surprise she could hear Jun's thoughts clearly.

"Yes."

Anna pressed further, but found the older woman's resisting. She was a trained member of the Tao family, after all, and was aware of some people's mental abilities. 

The Tao family didn't want their secrets to be discovered by a mind reader, so they had developed several techniques to avoid it.

Jun shook her head and glanced down the blonde.

"Are you sure you want to see it?" she asked, almost too politely "I can show you, and you'll see that I'm being truthful."

The girl nodded slowly, almost eager to discover the truth and surprised her reishi had came back so suddenly. The fact that she felt a morbid curiosity about what had happened to Jun was almost macabre and deemed ironic, but she felt it nonetheless. She wanted to know, she _needed_…

"I shall show you then, show you my suffering…"

The Chinese offered Anna her hand. The girl took it with no hesitation in her actions and did not hold back. She closed her eyes and pressed her powers forward, down her head, through her arms, towards Jun's hand. Then up the elder limb and into her head. She opened her eyes, but she was no longer in the street. Vivid scenes replayed in Jun's mind and she witnessed each one of them passing by. She could feel… so clearly, her pain, her grief, that sense of betrayal…

"_You were in love with him… you thought of him as a friend and much more… He abused your trust… He was…."_

"_Yes… It was the first person I fell in love with."_

"_God… this…"_

"_I told Ren soon after. He killed him, but that didn't solve my problem."_

"_So much… shame… how did you…?"_

"_I had to tell somebody. I needed to. I felt I was going out of my mind, I felt so alone with this secret…"_

They closed their eyes when an especially painful moment replayed in their heads. Anna could almost hear the muffled screams Jun was emitting and the ragged breath of the young man on top of her. The feelings and sensations attached to that image were… so familiar. Rage, hatred, grief, guilt, aversion, shock, dread… pain… So much pain…

Anna was panting heavily when it was finally over. So, so real… She felt it was her own body going through that abuse, feeling every push, every throb, emitting all those shaky sobs and screams… She curled and took a hand to her mouth in repulsion as thought she was to vomit.

Anna was surprised when she tried to withdraw her hand but felt the older woman grasp tighten. Jun sat closer, her arms slowly circling the other's petite waist and blonde head to bring the girl closer.

"You… understand me… You felt the same that I feel now…" Anna mused weakly.

"Probably…Show me your pain, now."

"Do… you want me to…?"

"Yes," she whispered into the blonde's ear. She held her tighter, feeling the younger's insecurity. "Let me see, feel and hear what you saw, felt and heard. Let me share that burden with you, allow me to be your friend."

Anna's eyes snapped open.

"… Friend?"

"Yes."

"I have never had a… friend."

"I want to… if you want to me to be, and I know Pirika and Tamao want to be your friends, too…"

Anna did not answer.

"I know what kind of burden being a reishi is. I know that you swallow pain, suffering, sadness, hatred, rage… What does that people you heal have ever given to you? Nothing but gratitude and more burdens to carry. It's not fair"

"This _curse_ is not intended to be fair"

"Yes, but now… Now is not their _pain._ Is yours. Show me; allow me to share that burden"

"I… I don't know how to… show you"

"Just do the same that you did before, get into my mind, but show me yours."

Anna was shaking from head to toe, still not recovered from the vision and the sprint in earlier moments. She was afraid, too. Showing the other her memories meant she would have to replay them exactly as she remembered them, and she did remember them, oh so vividly, every feeling and sensation still attached to her brain, like the spirits in a haunted house.

She nodded shakily, repeating the process of getting her mind into Jun's, but this time she searched in her own memories, so as to allow the Chinese to see and feel, what she had seen and felt.

* * *

Yoh ran through a dark alley with Amidamaru hovering a few meters higher. The ghost was of great help when it came to searches and now the samurai was using all his capabilities to find the itako. It wasn't so easy, though. It was Friday night, lots of people were on the streets and the city centre was especially crowded. The most worrying thing was that half of that crowd was made up by perverts…

If a jerk ever put a hand on her…

The man shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, she was fine. He felt Ren's presence getting closer behind him. He slowed down. Maybe he brought news.

"Jun has already found her," Yoh almost jumped with glee.

"How is she? Is she ok?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry. They'll be back to the Inn in a while."

"Be back? But…"

"Jun called me to say she was following her and she would try to talk to her. She didn't say where they're heading to, but they'll be fine. My sister knows how to defend herself and has Pailong with her."

"But…"

"Just-come-back-and-shut-up"

Yoh nodded his head in defeat, but was greatly relieve with these news. She would be back soon, and even if she wasn't, Jun would stay with her and watch over her. She was safe.

* * *

"God… Oh, God…"

Anna stood up, suddenly breaking the contact, stumbled and fell on her knees. She could hear Jun behind her, panting heavily, her thoughts and feelings loud enough for her to read them, but there was such turmoil in both minds that nothing coherent could be found.

"It was…"Jun started.

"Horrible… God, they're so…"

"Rough…"

"So sick… Jun, I think I'm going out of my mind… I see them, every night, they come in dreams, but I feel so clearly what I felt back then… and now the elders want me to marry Yoh and get pregnant in less than six months!… I… can't," she smiled bitterly, getting onto her knees just to fall back. "I'm… I'm losing it…"

Jun got on her feet just to kneel in front of the girl.

"Shhh…"

"I… cannot handle this anymore… Why me, Jun? Of all people in this fucking city, why it had to me?" Anna burst tears. "What did I do to deserve such a thing?"

"You did nothing. Stop thinking that" she held the girl by the shoulders "Look, look at me. You think you're going crazy because you're bottling everything up. You cannot hold such pain to yourself, you hear me? Then you'll really lose it"

"What… will I do?"

The girl almost seemed on the verge of a breakdown, eyes closed and hands pressed to her head as if there was a terrible sound piercing her ears. Jun shook her shoulders gently to get her attention. Anna looked up, almost pleading for guidance and comprehension.

"We'll go back to the Inn and rest, ok? Tomorrow we'll get Tamao and Pirika and we'll talk them about this."

"Talk to… them about… this? But…"

"Shhh," she pressed a finger to the girl's lips. "You will feel ashamed, but then better. This burden is too much, and it will get worse if you don't share it, ok? Yoh alone cannot help you. He will lose his mind too."

"I don't want… to hurt him…"

"… That's why you don't want to speak… because you think it will harm him?"

Anna nodded, feeling pathetic.

"I think the best thing you can do right now is talk to him first, ok? He wants to know. Share your burden with him, and he will share his own with you. It's the only way of staying sane…"

The Chinese leaned forward to gently press her thumbs against the younger's cheeks and dared to dry the falling tears. As Anna was not aware of her surroundings anymore, she allowed the contact, hardly realizing she was being touched on the face. She needed… God, it was terrible for her to admit, but she needed somebody else… Not only Yoh, not the protective figure of her fiancé… It was like a craving wish for a _mother_. Yes, a woman that could take care of her now, as the vulnerable child she felt she was in that precise moment.

Jun pulled her into an embrace and let her sob on her shoulder. She started humming

"Let's go… Time to go home."

* * *

This chapter was intended to be even longer, with te YohxAnna scene in it... But I decided it would be a torture for you to read that much, so I just cut it and pasted that part on the other chapter. Sorry about my terrible ability to make long chapters look short. There are some amazing authors that can do that, and even though they write amazingly long stories, it's so perfectly and cleverly written it is easy to read.

Thanks for reading! Hope you've liked it! Please review!

Next chapter will be up in 3 weeks or so. I go back to Venezuela and start classes... My life sucks...

**Special thanks to my Beta reader! (won't publish your name here coz I don't know if you will like it. Nex time I will ask you before updating. Anyways, thanks!)**


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